France forward Ousmane Dembele has urged Kylian Mbappe’s critics to lay off the Real Madrid star.
Mbappe came under fire last season from disgruntled Madrid fans frustrated at the club’s struggles under first Xabi Alonso and then Alvaro Arbeloa.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker was singled out after opting to go on holiday last month rather than continue his rehabilitation from a hamstring problem in the Spanish capital. He subsequently missed the Clasico defeat at Barcelona and was booed by the Santiago Bernabéu crowd when he did return as a substitute against Oviedo.
An online petition was also set up calling for Mbappe to be sold this summer and received over 96million signatures.
It seemed somewhat harsh to lay the blame for Madrid’s multiple failures at Mbappe’s door given he ended the season with 42 goals in 44 games and former PSG team-mate Dembele says Les Bleus’ captain was unfairly treated.
He told Marca: “They have been very unfair to him. They go too far with the criticisms of Kylian because he is an incredible player. He’s also a great person off the field, because I’ve known him for a long time.
“You don’t have to be so hard on him. If you tie your laces, if you don’t tie them, if you raise the socks, if you don’t… It’s too much. He is still a human being and he is a player of exceptional quality. Here in the French national team he gets along very well with us. He is a leader, the captain of our team and he is a very important player.”
Dembele wary of making promises as France chase World Cup glory
Dembele and Mbappe are set to line up for France in their World Cup opener against Senegal on Tuesday with Didier Deschamps’ side looking to go one step further than their final defeat to Argentina in Qatar four years ago.
The 2018 winners are among the favourites but Dembele was quick to emphasise France must go step by step.
He added: “There are many favourites, that means nothing in football anymore. We know that the French team, in the last two editions, has reached two finals so we will be a team that much will be expected from, but we remain focused on the goal. Before thinking about reaching the round of 16 or quarter-finals, you have to overcome the group stage.”
Dembele wants to give Dechamps big send-off
Deschamps will stand down after the tournament after a 14-year stint in charge of the national team and Dembele and his team-mates are desperate to give him the perfect send-off.
“Didier Deschamps has contributed a lot to the French national team over the years,” said the former Barcelona man. “He has played a crucial role for all of us. On a personal level, he has marked my career, since he is the only [international] coach I have ever had.
“He has always given us good advice and has been there to congratulate or encourage us. He’s a simply amazing coach. His international record with Les Bleus is exceptional: a World Cup, a Nations League and several finals.
“Although there have been setbacks, he will always occupy a place at the top of the pantheon of French coaches. We are delighted to have him and we hope to end this adventure on the right foot. Both he and the coaching staff share the same ambition to reach the end of the competition, but we will have to stay very focused because nothing will be easy.”
Zinedine Zidane has reportedly agreed to take the France job after the World Cup and Dembele would relish the opportunity to work with the former Real Madrid midfielder.
“He is the greatest, an authentic icon of French football,” said Dembele. “He is an exceptional coach who won three consecutive Champions Leagues with Madrid. We hope to welcome him to the bench of the French national team one day. I am convinced that he would do a formidable job, because he is a born winner.”
