By Adegboyega Adeleye
France forward Ousmane Dembele has come to the defence of captain Kylian Mbappe ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting criticism of the Real Madrid star has become excessive and unfair.
Mbappe heads into the tournament under intense scrutiny following another trophyless season with Real Madrid, where the Spanish giants failed to win either La Liga or the UEFA Champions League.
The France captain is expected to lead Les Bleus when they begin their World Cup campaign against Senegal next week, but questions over his performances and leadership have continued to dominate headlines in both Spain and France.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca and quoted by BBC Sport, Dembele said the criticism directed at Mbappe has crossed the line.
“The criticism towards him is very, very unfair. Some people go a bit too far with the criticism of Kylian,” Dembele said.
“He’s an incredible player and a very good person off the pitch. Some people overdo the criticism because he’s Kylian Mbappe. They shouldn’t keep going after him.”
The Paris Saint-Germain winger suggested Mbappe is judged more harshly than most players because of his status as one of the biggest names in world football.
“Whether he ties his shoelaces or not, whether he pulls up his socks or not, it’s too much. He’s still a human being,” Dembele added.
“With the France team, he’s very good with us, he’s a leader.”
The comments come as France prepare for another attempt to win the World Cup after finishing runners-up to Argentina in Qatar 2022.
Mbappe was one of the stars of that tournament, scoring a memorable hat-trick in the final despite France’s defeat on penalties.
Dembele, meanwhile, arrives at the World Cup enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career. The winger is among the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or after helping Paris Saint-Germain win a second consecutive UEFA Champions League title following Mbappe’s departure from the club in 2024.
Despite their different club fortunes, the pair remain central figures for Didier Deschamps’ side.
France will face Senegal in their opening Group match before further fixtures against Iraq and Norway.
Dembele also paid tribute to Deschamps, who has already announced he will step down as France coach after the World Cup.
“He’s simply an exceptional coach,” Dembele said.
Deschamps guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 and led them to another final four years later, cementing his status as one of the most successful managers in the country’s history.
Dembele also welcomed the prospect of former France and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane eventually succeeding Deschamps.
“We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench. I’m convinced he would do a fantastic job,” he said.
