Speaking at a press conference before the friendly match between Brazil and France this Thursday evening (kick-off at 9 pm, CET), Kylian Mbappé was asked about Ousmane Dembélé’s contribution. The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker and captain of Les Bleus was full of praise for his 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain counterpart, who is expected to start alongside him tonight.
Mbappé: “It’s extraordinary to have Dembélé in the team.”
“It’s extraordinary to have Dembélé in the team. He brings so much to the team. We’ve been unlucky that he hasn’t played much with us lately. But that’s good because we’re convinced he’ll be important for us.” We’re going to try to put him in the best possible conditions because if he performs this well, we’ll have a great chance of winning.”
Dembélé appreciated these words from the French national team captain, even though he knows full well that it won’t be enough to shield him from criticism if he has a mixed performance. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner knows this; expectations are particularly high, and the barbs fly quickly if there’s even a hint of disappointment.
At least he’s already used to this at PSG and seems to know how to handle the pressure well. In fact, it seems he had a “turning point” during last season. There’s less uncertainty in his game, more sharpness and confidence. We hope to see further confirmation tonight, because he’s a special player. And all this without forgetting the team aspect, which makes him particularly valuable.
