Deschamps appoints Mbappe captain of France, Griezmann vice-captain

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has been appointed as the new captain of France, succeeding Hugo Lloris who retired after the World Cup, according to reports on Tuesday.

Coach Didier Deschamps is said to have informed Mbappe of his appointment during a dinner on Monday, with Antoine Griezmann to be the vice-captain.

While the French Football Federation has yet to confirm the news, it is expected that Mbappe will lead the team during their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.

His first game as captain will be against the Dutch on Friday at the Stade de France.

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Mbappe has been a member of the national team since he was a teenager, making his debut at the age of 18 against Luxembourg, and has scored 36 goals in 66 appearances. He was part of the French squad that won the 2018 World Cup.

Mbappe was the outstanding candidate for the captaincy, with Lloris stepping down from international duty after the team’s loss to Argentina in the World Cup final. Despite Mbappe’s hattrick, France were defeated on penalties.

The French squad recently gathered at their Clairefontaine training base ahead of their European qualifying double-header, which marks their first gathering since their near-miss at the Qatar 2022.

The appointment of Mbappe as captain is expected to bring a new era of leadership for the national team and further cement the player’s position as one of the brightest young talents in world football.