Mbappé calls Deschamps "the guy" and divides observers ahead of World Cup

Kylian Mbappé sparked an unexpected debate on the sidelines of the 2026 World Cup launch, following an interview in which he referred to his manager Didier Deschamps in terms judged as too flippant by part of the press.

When asked about his coach’s evolution, the France captain said: “The coach is at peace. He’s changed a lot, he’s more flexible, that surprises me (…). But it proves the quality of the guy.” It was this last word — “guy” — that sparked reaction on L’Équipe’s broadcast.

Journalist Dave Appadoo made no attempt to hide his surprise. “I find the somewhat trivial way Kylian Mbappé speaks about his coach, ‘it proves the quality of the guy’, I find that very surprising,” he said, before adding: “I wouldn’t have imagined, for example, Didier Deschamps speaking like that about Aimé Jacquet.” While acknowledging that this register of language probably reflected a generational difference, Appadoo extended the comparison: “I don’t think a PSG player would speak about Luis Enrique like that.”

The discussion also brought to the surface past tensions between Mbappé and Deschamps, notably the captain’s armband episode, while recalling France’s disappointing run at Euro 2024. “Since it’s all about Kylian, we’ve seen the state of the Euros,” the journalist emphasized.

These off-field controversies don’t prevent the French machine from running. Based in Boston since Wednesday, Mbappé and his teammates are preparing their entry into the competition against Senegal on June 16.