Mbappe under fire? Deschamps argues the captain leads, not selfishly—watch him sprint like a goalkeeper

Deschamps defends Mbappe against the selfish label

France head coach Didier Deschamps defended his star and captain Kylian Mbappe, the Real Madrid striker, amid occasional criticisms labeling him selfish.

Speaking at the Laval sports press festival on Tuesday, Deschamps said Mbappe does not display the selfish and solitary image some people imagine.

According to Radio Monte Carlo, Mbappe is not selfish and should not be expected to run 11 kilometers in every match for the team.

He joked that this is true for a goalkeeper as well, but if you want him to run 11 kilometers in a single game, he won’t do it.

Stéphane, Deschamps' assistant who was also on stage in Laval, noted Mbappe makes many high-intensity bursts.

He added that you may love him or not, but the youngsters adore him, and there is a stereotype that he is selfish and isolated, but inside the French squad he acts as a leader.

Mbappe is enjoying a superb season with Real Madrid, featuring in 30 matches across competitions and scoring 37 goals with 5 assists.

Punchline 1: If Mbappe ran 11 kilometers every game, the stadium's GPS would file a complaint for overachievement.

Punchline 2: And yes, Deschamps defends him—leadership comes with a built-in sprint mode.