Deschamps emphasized that Mbappe's excellent overall form and the valuable experience he can bring to France.

France, nicknamed "Les Bleus," will host Ivory Coast in a friendly match at the Stade de Beaujoire. At a press conference, coach Didier Deschamps stated that Kylian Mbappé is in excellent physical and mental condition, adding that the striker's experience will have a positive impact on the team and its young players.

In the 2025/26 La Liga season, French captain Kylian Mbappé contributed 25 goals and 5 assists for Real Madrid, while in the Champions League he scored 15 goals and provided one assist. Unfortunately, Real Madrid failed to win either competition that season.

France coach Didier Deschamps said, "I have spoken with Mbappe, and he also communicates with his teammates because he is the team captain. Club matters are one thing, but the national team is a completely different environment."

“Mbappe is in excellent physical and mental condition, and he also has experience that other players do not have. This will be his third World Cup, and the World Cup is an extremely difficult tournament.”

In addition, French defender Koundé, who plays for Barcelona, said that although his experience in international competitions is increasing, his role has not changed much.

"Will I take on more responsibility? Not really. I'm still the same person. I need to communicate with everyone and express my opinions in the locker room. We're all close in age in the locker room, so everyone can speak freely, and it's a good thing that the team has different types of leaders," said 27-year-old Koundé.

"This is the fourth major tournament I've participated in representing France, and I'm very happy to be making my second World Cup appearance in my career."

Image source: Internet