Kylian Mbappé, the 27-year-old Real Madrid and French national team striker, held a press conference before Les Bleus’ match against Iraq on Monday evening, part of the second round of the 2026 World Cup. He was asked to comment on the “disappointing” performances of Ousmane Dembélé, his 29-year-old counterpart from Paris Saint-Germain, particularly against Senegal (3-1).
Mbappé: “These are things that don’t count on the statistics, but they’re just as important.”
“I don’t know if Ousmane was less prominent. I’ve rewatched the match twice. In the first half, he was the best attacking player of the four. He’s the one who manages to make the game flow. In the second half, Michael (Olise) and I were decisive, but he was important.
When you see the first goal, Michael’s pass is there.” Ousmane draws Niakhaté in and creates space for me to exploit. These are things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, but they’re just as important. If there’s no pass, there’s no goal, and we’re still at 0-0.
Mbappé: “He has the confidence of the team and the staff.”
Ousmane is very calm. He’s the Ballon d’Or winner, he has the confidence of the team and the staff. He’s a very important player for us. He’s been here for years; he knows perfectly well how the French national team works. Starting tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll continue to progress. We mustn’t forget that he was injured at the end of the season. He’ll get stronger and he’ll be a decisive player for us.”
Like a good captain, Mbappé is there to protect his teammate. This is based on fairly accurate observations, far removed from the dramatization and lack of perspective often seen in the media or among pundits. It’s fair to say, however, that Dembélé doesn’t shine as brightly as he does with PSG, where he plays a central, and often spectacular, role. The team dynamic is different with Les Bleus, and so is his role. And the automatic understanding between players might also be lacking.
But above all, as the French number 10 points out, analyses are often too focused on statistics and fail to delve into the details of the game. Unreached runs that create space for others are often completely overlooked. Yet, these are integral parts of a match, both collectively and individually. And let’s not forget the defensive work, which should never be neglected.
Now, there’s still work to be done for Dembélé and his team to maximize his contribution. This isn’t just about him; it’s about the entire group striving to improve further.
