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Didier Deschamps outlines Kylian Mbappe qualifications for France captain after he led PSG out against Rennes.
France manager Didier Deschamps has discussed his thoughts on the possibility of selecting Kylian Mbappe as the new captain of his team.
Deschamps is tasked with succeeding longtime captain Lloris after the 36-year-old goalkeeper decided to retire from international football, bringing in what appears to be the start of a new era for Les Bleus following their heartbreaking World Cup final loss to Argentina in December 2022.
There is also plenty of opportunity for their young players to shine and for a new captain to emerge now that Raphael Varane has also withdrawn from competing on the international scene.
Quizzed on who would assume the role of captain ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifiers, Deschamps explained his thinking: “I’m going to use these first few days with the group to discuss it with the players concerned. Obviously, Kylian is one of those players. So, you’ll know a bit more the next time I see you. In other words, the day before the game, on Thursday.”
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He added: “I think if he [Mbappe] has one quality, in addition to all his other qualities, it’s that he’s someone who is pretty good, very good at communication. So, I don’t think that’s a problem on that side. But, well, I can’t tell you any more because I haven’t decided today.”
The 24-year-old took the armband for Paris Saint-Germain when they suffered a shocking 2-0 loss at home to Rennes over the weekend. He did so to show his leadership abilities, and Deschamps himself has predicted that he will become the next captain of France.
However, his manager maintained that no decision has been made: “Of course, I watch the games. But Kylian’s situation or any player’s situation at club level is not the same as the one he has here with the national team, so it will not be a way for me to choose.”
The France manager asserted that there are “various sorts of captaincy,” and came to the conclusion that Christophe Galtier of PSG wouldn’t have any impact on his own judgments.
Les Bleus kick off their qualifying campaign for the upcoming European Championships against the Netherlands on Friday.