France captain Kylian Mbappe has come out to defend his international team-mate Ousmane Dembele. This comes following criticism of the winger’s performance against Senegal.
Speaking ahead of France’s second 2026 World Cup fixture against Iraq, the Real Madrid forward reminded everyone of Dembele‘s tactical value and Ballon d’Or status, stressing that he cannot be written off.
Insisting that the Ballon d’Or winner was the standout attacker in the first half against Senegal, Mbappe added that Ousmane’s presence alone creates essential space for the rest of the team to exploit during matches.
His words, “Ousmane? I have watched the game back twice; in the first half he was the best of the four in attack, the one who stood out the most. In the second half, Michael and I were decisive, but he also contributed.
He drew in an opponent and left free space for the first goal. Ousmane is very calm, he is the Ballon d’Or winner, he has everyone’s confidence. I am sure that, starting from tomorrow, he will move forward again.
He is going to be a fundamental player for us, that is for sure.
I know what I represent, conscious of making history for my country.
Sometimes the pressure gets to you, but I have been lucky enough to play in this competition already and I do not expect a brace in the first match to be enough.”
On Olise, “He is an exceptional player with a style that everyone likes. There is a lot of movement, we have more talented people and maybe tomorrow two other players will shine. He has the ability to create something different in every game.”
WOW.
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