Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that he has cleared the air with team-mate Antoine Griezmann after being appointed captain of the France national team.
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar said that the Atletico Madrid star, who is one of the most senior players in the French side with 117 caps for Les Bleus, was ‘disappointed’ but that this was understandable.
Speaking ahead of France’s opening European Championship qualifying match against the Netherlands on Friday, the 24-year-old World Cup winner was honest about his conversation with Griezmann.
‘I spoke with Antoine because he was disappointed. It’s a reaction I can understand,’ Mbappe, who has 66 caps, stated.
‘I told him that in his place, I might have had the same reaction. He is 32-years-old, he is one of the best, if not the best, of the Didier Deschamps era.’
Griezmann was appointed vice-captain alongside the Qatar World Cup top scorer, but Mbappe assured that he won’t be superior to him.
‘He has an experience of playing for France that I don’t have. He is held in high esteem and is liked by the whole squad, so it would be a shame for us not to benefit from his experience, and his joie de vivre.’
The new captain went on to add that: ‘We are going to be hand-in-hand, him and me, to try and make this French team reign at world level.
‘If he has something to say in front of the group, I will sit down and listen. Everyone is free to express themselves in this group.’
Former France captain Hugo Lloris was in the habit of holding a press conference ahead of every international game, but Mbappe says he is going to do things differently.
‘I am not going to change,’ Mbappe added. ‘Everyone is a captain based on their personality. I’m going to be a different captain.
‘I don’t think the coach made me captain thinking I was going to do the same as Hugo [Lloris]. I know my words make noise.
‘People will see me a little more often but I want to leave room for others, so I must not monopolise the media space.’
