France captain Kylian Mbappe has lavished praise on his international teammate Ousmane Dembele ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against Croatia on Thursday.
The Real Madrid forward, who has Cameroonian and Algerian roots, commended Dembele’s outstanding form this season, emphasizing his resilience in overcoming past struggles.
Dembele, who has a Mauritanian mother and a Senegalese father, appears to have found stability under PSG manager Luis Enrique.
His performances this season have been exceptional, with the winger scoring 30 goals in 37 matches across all competitions, 22 of which have come in 2025 alone.
Speaking to French outlet Le Parisien, Mbappe expressed his admiration for the 27-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger, highlighting the criticism Dembele has endured over the years.
“Seeing him do this moves me personally because I know how much he’s been criticised and mocked.
“I’ve been his biggest supporter since we were 14. I’ve always said, even when he wasn’t scoring, that he was one of the best players in the world. Some thought I was just saying that because I liked him. But I know the difference between friendship and reality on the pitch.”
Mbappe added: “Ousmane reached maturity at 27, which is normal in football. There are players who are more precocious, so some might have thought he was arriving late.
“But no, Ousmane Dembele has never arrived late; it’s the normal evolution of a footballer, who reaches his full potential at 27. He still has great years ahead of him.
“I’m very happy for him and I hope he continues like this. He deserves what he’s getting; he’s worked hard for it.”
