France captain Mbappe jumps to Dembele’s defence

France captain Mbappe jumps to Dembele’s defence

France captain Kylian Mbappe has come to the defence of Ousmane Dembele following criticism of the winger’s performance against Senegal.

Speaking ahead of France’s second World Cup fixture against Iraq, the Real Madrid star insisted his teammate’s influence extends far beyond goals and assists.

Mbappe argued that while he and Michael Olise grabbed the headlines in the second half, Dembele was France’s most dangerous attacking player during the opening 45 minutes.

Alo, he pointed to his status as one of the world’s elite players, stressing that his value to the team remains unquestionable.

"Ousmane? I have watched the game back twice; in the first half he was the best of the four in attack, the one who stood out the most,” Mbappe told the media.

“In the second half, Michael and I were decisive, but he also contributed. He drew in an opponent and left free space for the first goal.

“Ousmane is very calm, he is the Ballon d'Or winner, he has everyone's confidence. I am sure that, starting from tomorrow, he will move forward again. He is going to be a fundamental player for us, that is for sure."