Dembélé's blunt advice to Mbappé
The PSG forward, the current Ballon d’Or holder, has asked the Real Madrid international to multiply his defensive efforts for the French national team.
Ousmane Dembélé has grown in influence within the French national team, to the point of advising his friend and teammate Kylian Mbappé to increase his defensive contribution. The PSG forward is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, a two-time Champions League champion, and an indispensable figure for the current World Cup runners-up, who will begin their quest for a third World Cup title in the United States, Mexico, and Canada on Thursday.
Reports in France suggest that the former Barcelona player has encouraged Mbappé to defend more in order to make the French side more competitive. It is well known that the Real Madrid star is not particularly involved in defensive duties, whereas Dembélé has been at the forefront of the relentless pressing system implemented by Luis Enrique at PSG during the past two seasons, a period in which the club secured back-to-back European titles.
According to L’Équipe, the two players spend a great deal of time together and share an excellent relationship. That closeness has allowed Dembélé to offer advice on a range of matters, particularly pressing and defensive work, as France seeks to establish itself as a genuine contender for the World Cup. The current Ballon d’Or winner has no intention of interfering with Mbappé’s role as captain or diminishing his influence within the squad. Rather, he hopes to bring to the national team the leadership qualities he displayed in Paris throughout the season.
For instance, Mbappé has represented his teammates in discussions with the French Football Federation regarding performance bonuses and ticket allocations, two issues that have generated some internal tension. Dembélé respects his friend and, drawing on his current standing within the game, has simply sought to offer advice for the benefit of the team.
The PSG forward heads into the World Cup as one of the tournament’s standout stars. The injury problems that once prevented him from consistently performing at his highest level are now firmly in the past. His partnership with Kylian Mbappé has the potential to become one of the most productive attacking duos at the tournament. For that partnership to flourish, harmony and mutual understanding will be essential both on and off the pitch.
Kylian Mbappé's #FIFAWorldCup résumé 🤩🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/1tMoDRXbdI
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 8, 2026
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