Kylian Mbappe has been told he lacks the technical brilliance of Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele. Ouch.
The Real Madrid superstar is France’s captain. Their all time leading goalscorer? Not quite, that’s still Olivier Giroud. But 56 goals in 96 caps is nothing to sniff at.
Yet former international Jerome Rothen believes Mbappe should no longer be considered the technical focal point of Didier Deschamps’ side.
‘HE SHOULDN’T BE THE ATTACKING LEADER’
Speaking on RMC Sport, Rothen didn’t hold back. He claimed Mbappe’s role should be limited to his finishing, not overall leadership.
“When you see the players around him today, you can’t ask Kylian Mbappe to be the technical leader,” Rothen declared.
“He shouldn’t be the attacking leader. We have to play to his strengths. We have the advantage of having a very effective player who scores a lot of goals. OK. He’s here for that. But there’s a structure to put in place around him.”
That’s a pretty clear message. Stay in the box. Stop trying to be the main man.
‘WHAT OLSIE AND DEMBELE DO, MBAPPE ISN’T CAPABLE OF’
Then came the real kicker.
Rothen highlighted a perceived gulf in technical quality. He claimed Mbappe’s game simply lacks the aesthetic and creative impact of other French stars.
“When you see Dembele and Olise… when they touch the ball, it’s incredible!” he said.
“I’m not ashamed to say that what Olise and Dembele do, Mbappe isn’t capable of doing.”
That’s not a dig. That’s a declaration of war.
Olise has been tearing it up at Bayern Munich, 20 goals and 29 assists this season. Dembele has been electric for PSG. Mbappe? Still scoring. Still lethal. But maybe not the heartbeat anymore.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE WORLD CUP?
France have been drawn into a competitive Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq, and Norway for the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Deschamps has a decision to make. Does he stick with Mbappe as the undisputed leader? Or does he build the attack around Olise and Dembele’s creativity, with Mbappe as the finisher?
Rothen’s argument is simple. Mbappe scores. Let him score. But don’t ask him to run the show.
MBAPPE’S RESPONSE? UNKNOWN
The Real Madrid star hasn’t responded yet. But you can bet he’s heard it.
Being told you’re not as technically gifted as two of your teammates? That stings. Especially when you’re the captain. Especially when you’ve won a World Cup.
But Rothen isn’t some random pundit. He’s a former France international. He knows the dressing room. He knows the standards.
If Deschamps agrees with him? Then Mbappe’s role changes. Forever.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Mbappe is still world class. Still terrifying for defenders. Still capable of single handedly winning matches.
But being the captain isn’t just about scoring. It’s about leadership. Creativity. Making those around you better.
Rothen doesn’t think Mbappe has that. He thinks Olise and Dembele do.
France’s World Cup campaign will tell us who’s right.
