France will need a new captain when they begin their qualification matches for UEFA 2024 in March. After Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris retired, it opened the door for possibly Kylian Mbappe to be the next captain.
However, reports would suggest Manchester United’s Raphael Varane is next in line to take over as captain. However, RMC Sport’s Jérôme Rothen explained why going with anyone other than the Paris Saint-Germain star is a mistake.
“If it was me, yes, I would choose Kylian Mbappe,” Rothen said on Tuesday’s edition of “Rothen s’enflamme” (h/t Canal Supporters). “But knowing Didier Deschamps, I don’t think he will put him as captain. Why? Because he makes too much noise. Because he expresses himself too much. And Didier Deschamps is the opposite of that.
“He will refuse that his captain expresses himself in this way, that he sets a little fire in a press conference. (…) But in my opinion, the importance he has today, on the field and outside, makes him the image of French football. So, logically, he represents us because he is the best player at all levels.”
🇫🇷💬 @RothenJerome : "Si c'était moi, Mbappé serait le nouveau capitaine des Bleus. Mais connaissant Didier Deschamps et son mode de fonctionnement, je pense qu'il ne le mettra pas capitaine. Pourquoi ? Parce qu'il fait trop de bruit, tout simplement." pic.twitter.com/PbhTpNrybd
— Rothen s'enflamme (@Rothensenflamme) January 10, 2023
Mbappe showed leadership qualities during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final when Les Bleus were down 2-0 to Argentina and the 24-year-old put the team on his back by scoring a hat-trick.
The PSG forward has captained the capital club in the past, so it will be interesting to see if Deschamps does. Will the French tactician lean on the experience that Varane brings to the table or go with the face of football in the country in Mbappe? These next few weeks should be interesting.
