France Midfielder Doesn't Believe Mbappé is Under More Pressure

France midfielder Manu Koné has dismissed claims that captain Kylian Mbappé is under increased pressure as Les Bleus prepare to kick off their World Cup campaign against Senegal on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Mbappé became the first player since 1966 to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final in Qatar 2022, though Argentina's penalty shootout triumph relegated France to a runner-up finish. He was in stellar form last season, netting 42 goals and providing 7 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid, yet failed to secure a trophy.

“More pressure on him? I don't think so. He's a truly great player who has always risen to difficult situations, whether for his national team or his club. We know he has always performed exceptionally at the World Cup, and he wants to win it now too. He is our captain; he will achieve great things. There's no doubt about that,” Koné stated at a press conference.

France boasts an incredible attacking lineup, with Mbappé joining Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Désiré Doué. Another midfielder in Didier Deschamps' squad, Warren Zaïre-Emery, highlighted the team's wealth of talent. “Dembélé has the freedom to do almost anything he wants – to drift, to push forward, and so on. He is a player of exceptional quality. He can do everything – pass, dribble, score. When you have players like Dembélé, like Olise, like Kylian, Marcus Thuram... they simply possess extraordinary qualities. We need to capitalize on that and ensure everything works well together to have the best possible team,” the 20-year-old commented.

Warren Zaïre-Emery scored three goals and registered five assists in 54 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain last season. “When you don't play much and your confidence is low, it's always tough. With a World Cup at the end of the season, it's a goal for every French player. If I don't believe in it, no one else will believe in it for me. When I wasn't called up for the first training camp, I took the opportunity to clear my head. I think it worked out well, and today I am here,” the player remarked.

The French team, champions in 1998 and 2018, is placed in Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.