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France head coach Didier Deschamps came out in support of captain Kylian Mbappe following criticism over his leadership of the national team, saying the striker's public image does not reflect the person he is within the squad.
Speaking to reporters after France secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, Deschamps dismissed suggestions that Mbappe had changed since taking over the captaincy. "No, he hasn't changed. You make him seem like a dictator. Kylian has an image for some people on the outside that doesn't correspond at all to reality," Deschamps told reporters after the match in a video shared by news outlet LIBERTA DEPRE on X. Deschamps also said his players were prepared for Paraguay's physical approach and praised captain Kylian Mbappe's leadership after Les Bleus edged past the South American side 1-0 to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, according to Reuters. Reflecting on the fiercely contested Round of 16 encounter, Deschamps said his squad had anticipated the nature of the match and managed to remain disciplined throughout. "I've seen a lot of things," Deschamps said, as quoted by Reuters. "I have prepared the players. The players were expecting this game. I do not want to criticise Paraguay. Each team plays the way they want. But there were some insults from the other bench which I could have done without," he added. "The most important thing is that by the end of the game, there were no disagreements and that we (did not) get another card," he said. France booked a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 at Lincoln Financial Field, thanks to Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty. Despite dominating possession, Les Bleus found it difficult to break down Paraguay's disciplined defence, with the South Americans frustrating Didier Deschamps' side throughout the opening half. The match became only the third FIFA World Cup knockout fixture since 1966 to reach halftime without a single shot on target, while tensions flared following a challenge on Mbappe that sparked a mass confrontation. France finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute after Desire Doue won a penalty, which Mbappe converted calmly. Paraguay pressed for an equaliser until the final whistle, but France held firm to secure victory and set up a quarterfinal clash with Morocco. (ANI)
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