‘You make him look like a dictator’ - France boss Deschamps forced to defend Mbappe from rumours

France head coach Didier Deschamps has fiercely come out in defence of his captain, Kylian Mbappé, completely dismissing toxic outside rumours surrounding the forward’s leadership style.

The manager’s passionate address came immediately after Les Bleus secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay to advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Mbappé has found himself at the centre of intense online scrutiny, with social media memes and critics suggesting he wields unchecked, overly authoritative power within both the French camp and Real Madrid.

However, speaking to reporters at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Deschamps took aim at the media and detractors for building an unfair public persona around the 27-year-old superstar, stating, "No, he hasn't changed.

“You guys make Kylian Mbappé seem like a dictator… the reality is the opposite. Kylian has an image for some people on the outside that doesn't correspond at all to reality.

The Round of 16 encounter proved to be an incredibly gruelling affair, becoming only the third World Cup knockout fixture since 1966 to reach halftime without a single shot on target from either side.

Tensions completely boiled over in the second half following a heavy challenge on Mbappé, which triggered a chaotic, mass confrontation between both sets of players on the pitch.

Despite the tactical provocation and insults flying from the opposition bench, France maintained their composure. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 66th minute when Rennes starlet Désiré Doué drew a foul in the box, allowing Mbappé to calmly step up and dispatch the decisive penalty.

The successful strike takes Mbappé's tournament tally to seven goals, placing him joint-top in the Golden Boot race alongside former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi.

Having navigated the physical test, Deschamps' disciplined squad will now travel to Foxborough to face Morocco in a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup.