Philadelphia, July 5 -- France head coach Didier Deschamps came out in support of captain Kylian Mbappe following criticism over his leadership of the national team, saying the striker's public image does not reflect the person he is within the squad.

Speaking to reporters after France secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, Deschamps dismissed suggestions that Mbappe had changed since taking over the captaincy.

"No, he hasn't changed. You make him seem like a dictator. Kylian has an image for some people on the outside that doesn't correspond at all to reality," Deschamps told reporters after the match in a video shared by news outlet LIBERTA DEPRE on X.

Deschamps also said his players were prepared for Paraguay's ph...