France national team manager Didier Deschamps lauded Kylian Mbappe for his growth as a center forward.
Paris Saint-Germain did not have a set center forward over the past season. Mauro Icardi dealt with multiple injuries, while Moise Kean was not relied upon much over the second half of the campaign.
Thus, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino often called upon Mbappe to start as a center forward, which paid off in some of the team’s biggest matches of the campaign. The French forward constantly was a threat to opposing center-backs when playing as PSG’s main center forward and often found success in putting away his high-percentage goal-scoring opportunities.
In speaking to RMC Sport, Deschamps answered whether Mbappe faces more pressure in playing as a center forward than a winger.
“It depends on which system,” Deschamps said. “He has enjoyed and scored goals as a center forward. But like other strikers, he has the profile to be in the axis and to go on the side or vice versa. When he is on the side, the goals he scores do not come from the goal line. There are different profiles of center forward.”
Mbappe’s versatility as an attacking talent could end up providing a key boost to the France national team in the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament.
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