Dembele Says Criticism of Mbappe Has Gone Too Far

Ousmane Dembele defended Kylian Mbappe, saying criticism has become unfairly harsh. He said the attacks on Mbappe go beyond reasonable limits and reminded that he is a human being. Mbappe has spent two seasons at Real Madrid without securing La Liga or Champions League trophies. The French striker faces intense scrutiny in Spain and France since taking the France captaincy in 2023. Dembele, a Ballon d'Or contender, helped Paris Saint-Germain win a second successive Champions League before moving to Real Madrid in 2024. Both Dembele and Mbappe are expected to start France's World Cup opener against Senegal. Dembele praised coach Didier Deschamps, calling him an exceptional coach and a legend. He also expressed optimism about former France great Zinedine Zidane potentially taking the France bench in the future.