Kylian Mbappe named France captain by Didier Deschamps

France head coach Didier Deschamps has named Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe as the team captain, according to RMC Sport.

The 24-year-old showed his leadership qualities at the 2022 World Cup. Videos emerged of him rallying his teammates.

Following Hugo Lloris’ retirement, France needed a new captain and Deschamps turned to Mbappe.

The former AS Monaco man is also the talisman for Les Bleus on the pitch, finishing as the top scorer at the World Cup with eight goals.

He also put himself just four short of the all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals held by Germany striker Miroslav Klose.

Since making his debut in 2017, no French player has had more goal contributions for the national team. He has netted 36 goals and assisted 16 in 66 games.

Mbappe already tied up a neat legacy at his first World Cup showing. He was part of the team that won the 2018 World Cup, winning the best young player award while netting four times.

He was a leader in the team. Against Argentina, there were videos of Deschamps telling the team to find the attacker when they were bereft of ideas with the ball.

At the club level, Mbappe also became assistant captain to Marquinhos, ousting French colleague Presnel Kimpembe. He has been wearing the armband in the absence of the Brazilian centre-back.

Mbappe’s captaincy is not the only change at the Clairefontaine academy resulting from Lloris’ retirement. Deschamps also made AC Milan’s Mike Maignan the first-choice goalkeeper.

Maignan, who recently returned from a long-term calf injury sustained during the September 2022 international break, will be between the sticks for their games against the Netherlands and Ireland this week.

Brice Samba (Lens) and Alphonse Areola (West Ham United) will back him up as second and third-choice.