‘They’ve been very unfair to him’ – Ousmane Dembélé on the criticism towards Kylian Mbappé | OneFootball

Not a day goes by without Kylian Mbappé (27) making headlines in media outlets around the world. The price of fame, some might say. But in the case of the Real Madrid striker – perhaps more so than for any other player on the planet – the cost is sometimes too high. Every gesture, every word, every smile – everything is open to interpretation. And all too often to criticism. More than is fair. This obsession is particularly lamented by his France teammate Ousmane Dembélé (29).

“They’ve been very unfair to him. They go a bit overboard in their criticism of Kylian, because he’s an incredible player,” said the reigning Ballon d’Or winner in an interview with Marca. “He’s a wonderful person off the pitch, because I’ve known him for a long time. Sometimes they go too far in their criticism simply because it’s Kylian Mbappé. We shouldn’t be so hard on him.”

“Whether he ties his laces or not, whether he pulls his socks up or not… It’s excessive. Because he’s still a human being and a player of exceptional quality. In any case, here in the French national team, he gets on very well with us. He’s a leader, the captain of our team, and a very important player.”

A welcome statement from Dembélé, as Mbappé’s recent performances have led some observers to question the validity of his status as untouchable in the French national team. Yet, as he prepares to compete in the third World Cup of his career, the French number 10 could soon etch his name a little further into the history books. A single goal would make him France’s all-time leading goalscorer; five would see him become the most prolific goalscorer in World Cup history. Nothing less.

GFFN | Léo Aschi