After 12 years as France captain, Hugo Lloris retired from international football in January. The captaincy was quickly handed to Kylian Mbappe, who according to coach Didier Deschamps “knows the responsibilities of being a leader.” in a group”.
Independent believes that the decision to appoint Mbappe, along with the retirement of veterans from the national team (Karim Benzema, Lloris, Raphael Varane), helps coach Deschamps create a new version of the French team to aim for two important tournaments in three years. next year: EURO 2024 and World Cup 2026. In which, Mbappe will be the central figure.
Professional mark
In his first match as captain, Mbappe scored a brace against the Netherlands in the EURO 2024 qualifying round on the morning of March 25 (Hanoi time). The PSG striker reached 38 goals for the national team, surpassing Benzema (37 goals) to join the top 5 best strikers in French football history.
“Mbappe played impressively from start to finish. He connects teammates, scores goals, assists in defence. Obviously, Mbappe always helps the team at all times,” midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni praised the new team. France captain after the match against the Netherlands.
In 2022, no one stands out more than Mbappe in the French team. This 24-year-old striker has 12 goals in 13 matches, including 8 goals at the 2022 World Cup. This is the tournament where Mbappe won the title of top scorer.
Ronald Koeman, the coach of the Netherlands, was also impressed with Mbappe’s performance: “He is a top-class striker. Before the game, we planned to defend Mbappe’s attacking situations but the team did not. play focus and make mistakes”.
Meanwhile, coach Deschamps admitted “the captaincy does not change the way Mbappe plays”. The PSG striker still participates in every situation on the ball and plays as hard as any of his teammates. Occasionally, Mbappe still swaps positions and is ready to cover for teammates.
Independent believes that it is time for the French team to need a new icon in terms of expertise to lead the team. Lloris is a captain trusted by the coaching staff and teammates, but cannot make a direct impact on matches like Mbappe. France can learn from Argentina, the team that considers Lionel Messi as the focus to build a game. M10 captained the national team for the first time at the age of 24, similar to Mbappe at this time.
Influence in the dressing room
The changing room of the 2018 World Cup champion, which was not quiet, now faces many problems after Mbappe was given the captaincy. Le Figaro said that Antoine Griezmann was “hurt and sad” when he learned that he was not chosen to be the captain of the French team.
With a player who has made a significant contribution in the past 5 years to the national team like Mbappe, being chosen as captain has not yet made many people feel convinced. Robert Pires, a French football legend, affirmed that “given his age and level of dedication, Griezmann should be given the responsibility of being captain”.
But the soft behavior helps Mbappe to peacefully resolve the above conflict. The 24-year-old admitted “understands Griezmann’s feelings and is ready to listen if the senior wants to give advice”. After coach Deschamps announced the new captain, Mbappe met with Griezmann to explain. The two played video games together at Clairefontaine center on March 21. In the match against the Netherlands, fans witnessed Mbappe and Griezmann coordinate well and happily celebrate the goal together.
After Mbappe and the French Football Federation (FFF) disputed the image copyright before the 2022 World Cup, many teammates in the French team chose to side with the striker of PSG. “Mbappe deserves the captain’s armband after his performances at the World Cup and PSG. The players also agree with this choice,” said midfielder Ibrahima Konate.
Midfielder Edouardo Camavinga pointed out Mbappe’s influence: “He hasn’t changed after being captain. Before the match against the Netherlands, Mbappe wanted the team to play well in the first minutes. France led 3-0), Mbappe said we have to keep giving. If we need to score six goals, we have to do it.”
At EURO 2020, Ms. Veronique, the mother of midfielder Adrien Rabiot, once publicly said Mbappe was too arrogant and the media and coaches in France flattered and pampered this player. This is a valid point of view when the French team still has veterans with great contributions like Mbappe, such as Griezmann, Olivier Giroud or Paul Pogba. Mbappe’s job is to prove he is capable of captaining and helping France conquer future titles.
Duy Luan | 10:49 Mar 25, 2023