As France prepares for its inaugural World Cup appearance, Get French Football News had the opportunity to speak with World Cup champion Franck Leboeuf. He shared insights on Kylian Mbappé’s performance and emphasized the need for his teammates to adapt around him.
You previously mentioned that some players struggled to score in the warm-up matches in 2002. Mbappé faced criticism for missing several chances against Northern Ireland, and his end to last season with Real Madrid was challenging—mainly off the field. Are you concerned about him, or do you believe the criticism will motivate him?
Honestly, I’m more worried about France than Mbappé! [Laughs] It’s true that he was somewhat unlucky or clumsy; with the chances he had, he should have scored at least once. However, we need to have faith in him. He’s the captain, and he will be a constant presence on the pitch. It’s hard to envision Didier Deschamps saying, “You’re not scoring, so I’ll bench you.” Mbappé has proven that he can score three goals in the final 15 minutes of a World Cup final—an exceptional feat. His confidence is built upon the trust of his teammates, as he is a proven goalscorer. Had he not been at Real Madrid this past season, their performance would have taken a larger hit. Fortunately for them, his contributions kept them afloat. He is undeniably a great player.
So that’s not my main concern. I believe that eventually, he will find the net, and there will be games, such as the one against Iraq, where he could regain his confidence and shine.
What troubles me more is his reluctance to adjust his game, particularly in terms of positioning when he loses the ball and his willingness to support his teammates. Yes, when he’s in possession, he exhibits his talent and can be a bit selfish—common traits for a center-forward. I’ve come across many strikers over the years who are content to lose 4-2 if they score two goals themselves but are indifferent to a 4-0 win if they don’t score. This is the nature of many goal-scoring forwards; a certain level of selfishness is necessary.
I hope he can find a solution. He will receive assistance because I genuinely believe Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé will create scoring opportunities for him. Even players like Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, N’Golo Kanté, and Manu Koné will work to set him up. He will receive chances, and it’s hard to believe he won’t capitalize on them at some point.
You mentioned that Dembélé has an inferiority complex, and also stated that Mbappé can’t be benched. I’m beginning to wonder if this situation resembles the past debate in England concerning Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. Is there a chance that Mbappé and Dembélé may struggle to perform well together in the French squad?
I believe they can coexist. Look, you can’t dictate how Mbappé plays; he plays on his terms. If you ask him to play center-forward, he will gravitate left, and vice versa. It’s Ousmane’s intelligence that will resolve these issues, as he knows how to find and exploit spaces. He possesses the technical ability to play as a number 10 without any issues. If Mbappé drifts left, Dembélé can shift to center-forward, and Doué can operate at number 10. It’s crucial that the remaining three adapt to Mbappé’s versatile style of play. If they don’t, it won’t work. It’s reminiscent of the great Real Madrid era with Cristiano Ronaldo, where you had to find a way to accommodate a player who didn’t contribute defensively. The same applies to Messi. When you have prolific scorers, it falls on the others to adapt. It becomes a pressing concern for the team when they are not scoring—like Mbappé at the moment.
However, I believe Ousmane is an exceptional player, perhaps even a future Ballon d’Or winner. Mbappé, while phenomenal, hasn’t reached that level yet. Ousmane tends to undersell his abilities, but he selflessly applies his talent for the team’s benefit. In the most recent match against Northern Ireland, I was not pleased with his work rate in the first half, but what I truly admire about Ousmane is his dedication to supporting others, coupled with his individual skills. It would be foolish not to include him in the starting eleven.
Consequently, the only real uncertainty lies in the choice between Doué and Rayan Cherki on the left, and how fluidly Didier Deschamps makes this decision. Deschamps will certainly not bench Olise, Mbappé, or Dembélé; that would lead to a media frenzy. So, it’s simply a matter of choosing between Doué and Cherki. Ideally, that should be the only dilemma. Additionally, Cherki and Doué can interchange seamlessly, helping to maintain harmony both on the field and off it.
Franck Leboeuf shared these insights exclusively with Get French Football News, courtesy of talkSPORT BetOnline Slots
This exclusive interview was originally published by Get French Football News and is available HERE