Dembele insists 'unfair' criticism of France captain Mbappe has gone too far

Dembele, who has become a pivotal figure for France at the tournament and is in contention for this year's Ballon d'Or after helping Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, told Spanish newspaper Marca that some commentators had exceeded the mark in their judgment of his long-time team-mate.

Mbappe remains one of the most closely observed figures in French football since leaving PSG and joining Real Madrid in 2024.

Despite still scoring prolifically, the France captain faced criticism during a season in which Real failed to secure either LaLiga or the Champions League, while some pundits and fans have questioned his leadership with the national side since he took over the captaincy following Hugo Lloris's retirement from international football.

Mbappe's performances, public appearances and even minor aspects of his conduct regularly trigger intense discussion in France.

"The criticism directed at him is very, very unfair," Dembele said before France kick off their World Cup campaign against Senegal on Tuesday. "Some people go a bit overboard with the criticism of Kylian.

"He is an incredible player and a very good person off the pitch. Some people overdo the criticism because he is Kylian Mbappe. They should not keep targeting him. Whether he ties his shoelaces or not, whether he pulls up his socks or not... it is too much. He is still a human being.

"With the France team, he is very good with us, he is a leader."

The duo have cultivated a close bond during their time together with Les Bleus. They are expected to feature prominently in France's quest for a third World Cup title in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Dembele also commended coach Didier Deschamps, who has announced he will stand down after the World Cup following more than a decade in charge of the national team.

"He is simply an exceptional coach," Dembele said. "He will forever remain a legend among French national team coaches."

Deschamps guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 and another final four years later.

When asked about the possibility of former France great Zinedine Zidane succeeding Deschamps, Dembele welcomed the idea.

"We hope to welcome him one day to the France bench," he said. "I am convinced he would do a fantastic job."

Zidane, who won the World Cup as a player in 1998 and later enjoyed major success as Real Madrid coach, has long been linked with the France job but has repeatedly refused to discuss the role while Deschamps remains in charge.