France teammates rally behind Mbappe ahead of World Cup opener

Lucas Hernandez defended France captain Kylian Mbappe at a press conference on Friday, saying the Real Madrid forward is judged more harshly than most players. Hernandez said Mbappe is “an extraordinary player” who is constantly scrutinized, adding, “It’s never easy being Kylian Mbappe.” He said Mbappe is fully motivated ahead of the World Cup, has prepared well, and “will silence all the criticism” he has received this season.

Hernandez’s comments echoed support from fellow France star Ousmane Dembele, who also spoke up for Mbappe in an interview with Spain’s Marca. Dembele said people have been “very unfair” to Mbappe and that criticism of him is often exaggerated simply because of his status. He stressed that Mbappe is “a wonderful person off the pitch” and said fans should not be overly harsh about trivial details such as how he ties his laces or wears his socks.

Mbappe arrives at the tournament under intense expectations after leading the 2022 World Cup scoring chart with eight goals in Qatar, where France came close to consecutive titles before losing the final to Argentina. This time, the mission is clear, to lead France to a third star and add a second world title to his own career.

France’s first match will be on June 16 against Senegal.