Dembele Comes Out Swinging for Mbappe: 'People Have Crossed the Line'

On the eve of France's World Cup campaign, Ousmane Dembele has stepped up to bat for his skipper, Kylian Mbappe, suggesting that the relentless examination of the Real Madrid forward has spiralled well beyond reasonable criticism.

Speaking to Marca ahead of Tuesday's clash with Senegal, Dembele made clear that his long-time teammate has become the subject of unfair and often trivial scrutiny since swapping Paris St Germain for the Spanish capital in 2024.

"The criticism towards him is very, very unfair," Dembele explained. "Some people go a bit too far with the criticism of Kylian. 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. 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."

Mbappe's every move continues to draw intense scrutiny in French football circles. The France captain faced considerable pressure during a Real Madrid campaign that yielded neither La Liga nor Champions League silverware, whilst some observers have questioned his leadership credentials following his elevation to the armband after Hugo Lloris stepped away from international duty.

Yet Dembele, himself a standout performer for the national team and a Ballon d'Or contender following his Champions League triumph with PSG, insists the narrative around his captain has become distorted.

"With the France team, he's very good with us, he's a leader," Dembele stressed.

The pair are expected to form a crucial partnership in France's pursuit of a third World Cup title across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Dembele also offered effusive praise for departing manager Didier Deschamps, who will call time on his tenure after the tournament concludes.

"He's simply an exceptional coach," Dembele said. "He will forever remain a legend among French national team coaches."

Deschamps delivered World Cup glory in 2018 and reached another final in 2022, cementing his place among the elite names in international football management.

When the subject turned to potential successors, Dembele's thoughts immediately drifted towards Zinedine Zidane, the World Cup winner from 1998 who subsequently established himself as a serial trophy winner with Real Madrid.

"We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench," Dembele said. "I'm convinced he would do a fantastic job."

Zidane has long been touted as a natural fit for the role, though he has consistently sidestepped questions on the matter whilst Deschamps remained in position.