World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit has given a scathing appraisal of Kylian Mbappe‘s captaincy at Euro 2024 and claimed that the striker is ‘unworthy’ of the armband.
The former PSG star admitted that he ‘wasn’t good’ after Les Blues crashed out of the competition following a 2-1 defeat by Spain in the semi-final.
Didier Deschamps’ side failed to impress throughout the tournament and ultimately had Mbappe to thank for their only goal in open play, when he assisted Randal Kolo Muani in the Spain loss . The 25-year-old scored his nation’s only other goal in the competition from the spot.
Despite this – and with no mitigation for the discomfort he felt after being forced to wear a mask after breaking his nose in the opening game against Austria – Petit believes Mbappe failed in his duties as skipper.
And he reckons the new Real Madrid striker showed himself lacking of key characteristics required to be a leader.
Kylian Mbappe admitted that he ‘wasn’t good’ during France’s lacklustre Euro campaign
World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit gave a scathing appraisal of Kylian Mbappe’s captaincy at Euro 2024
‘For me he is not a good captain with the signals he has sent since this almost forced takeover.’ The Frenchman said on RMC Sport’s show Rothen s’enflamme.
‘In his leadership, his statements to his colleagues too, when he says “I don’t have good balls, no Pogba in my team, Griezmann is not having a good Euro…”.
‘Is it the role of a captain to point out the shortcomings of his teammates? He has not been good in that,” the former midfielder first launched.
‘And then excuse me, but all the fuss about the mask or not after his broken nose. We don’t care! You’re not the first to play with a broken nose, you won’t be the last.
‘After that, it’s not his fault. But where I have trouble is that he claimed a lot of things to get this armband, and for me he didn’t have the leadership on the field or off it. At no time did I see him harangue his teammates.’
Mbappe won the World Cup with France in 2018 and nearly defended France’s crown in 2022 – but for Argentina’s triumph in the final on penalties.
He was forced to wear a protective face mask for most of the tournament and admitted it had been ‘affecting his performances’ after ditching the headgear during France’s defeat by Spain.
Mbappe said he ditched the protective face mask because it was ‘affecting his performances’
It has been an underwhelming end to the campaign for the striker, whose PSG career concluded with him in and out of the team amid ongoing tensions over his departure on a free transfer.
Petit reckons this should have allowed him to get into the perfect shape ahead of the tournament and his failure to do so means he is ‘unworthy’ to wear the France armband.
‘When you play one match out of two with PSG in the last six months, you have plenty of time to prepare yourself physically,’ he added.
‘But I remember his statements before the Euro, where he said “I care more about my mental strength than my physical strength”.
‘But mentally you were lacking, physically you were lacking, and in your role as captain, you were lacking. For me, he was an unworthy captain.’
Despite their lacklustre campaign, France boss Deschamps is set to continue in the hostseat. French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo said there was ‘no reason’ to question Deschamps’ future.
‘Past results speak in his favour and the objectives have been achieved. Didier will continue his mission,’ he told L’Equipe.
Didier Deschamps will remain as France’s head coach until the World Cup in 2026 despite last night’s defeat
French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo said ‘past results speak in his favour’
We’re going to be talking to each other over the next few days to analyse in greater depth what we lacked during this semi-final and what would have enabled us to go further.
‘During this month, I’ve seen a lot of professionalism and a quest for excellence. We need to keep the French team moving in this direction.’
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