Didier Deschamps backs captain Kylian Mbappe to end his dry spell in front of goal
Didier Deschamps is confident Kylian Mbappe will regain his scoring touch soon and is not worried about his captain’s current dry spell.
France got back to winning ways in the Nations League on Monday, beating Belgium 2-0 thanks to goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele, who put on an inspired display in Lyon.
Mbappe started on the bench and, after coming on, had four shots, two of which were on target, but failed to hit the back of the net for the fifth game in a row for Les Bleus.
At club level, Mbappe got off the mark for Real Madrid in LaLiga with a brace just before the international break, and Deschamps is confident he will be back to his free-scoring best sooner rather than later.
“Kylian feels good. Obviously, like almost all players, he is not yet at 100%,” Deschamps told TF1.
“His dry spell? Knowing his demands on that… Mbappe will score goals. We may have focused a little too much on him. It doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger.
“But I repeat, the French team will always be stronger with him. I am convinced that in a month he will be better.
“There are very high demands in his club. With us, he fully assumes his role as captain, even when he is not playing. I have no worries with Kylian.”
France endured an underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign before following it up with a disappointing loss to Italy in their Nations League opener last week.
Despite getting back to winning ways on Monday, the French fans made their frustration with the national team heard, directing boos and whistles at Deschamps during the match.
The 55-year-old was unfazed by the criticism but believes it will negatively affect the team as a whole going forward.
“I didn’t hear the whistles,” Deschamps added. “But you know, I’m not going to say that I was born with criticism, but it’s part of the game, it’s my responsibility, I’m immersed in everything that’s happening.
“It doesn’t have an influence on me, but on the players, the environment… When we come, we support the French team, so the whistles… That people are unhappy, disappointed, that they show it, why not, but now when the players are on the field… I don’t think it’s for the good of the French team.”
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