World Cup 2026: France assistant coach Guy Stephan baffled by criticism of Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe may be France’s captain, all-time leading scorer and one of the stars of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the Real Madrid forward continues to divide opinion both at home and abroad. That criticism has left France assistant coach Guy Stéphan genuinely puzzled.

Mbappe himself recently acknowledged that scrutiny has become a normal part of his life, admitting that he has learned to focus only on what he can control.

“There are simple things in life that sometimes people don’t allow us to do. We can be criticized for things that everyone else does. It’s starting to become part of my daily life. It’s been like this for about ten years. We can’t change people, their way of thinking, or their way of acting. We can only change ourselves, evolve as a person and as an athlete.”

Within the French camp, however, there is little understanding of the negativity directed towards their captain.

Speaking to Le Parisien, Stephan praised Mbappe’s impact on and off the pitch and questioned how anyone could criticize a player who has already become France’s all-time leading scorer at just 27 years of age.

“An exceptional player, an exceptional personality, who at 27 became the all-time leading scorer for the national team. I can’t understand how anyone can criticize him. I’ve watched Kylian grow since 2017, and he continues to amaze us.”

The veteran assistant, who has worked alongside Didier Deschamps for more than a decade, placed Mbappé among the greatest players he has ever coached.

“There are coaches who say they coached Pelé. I can say I coached Mbappe. Kylian is meticulous in his pursuit of the details that will allow the team to progress. He manages the responsibility of scoring goals and being the team captain simultaneously, with all that this implies internally and externally. He is an admired leader and a respected captain.”

Despite the criticism, Mbappe continues to deliver on the biggest stage. His brace against Iraq moved him level with Miroslav Klose on 16 career World Cup goals, leaving him just two behind Lionel Messi’s all-time record. Didier Deschamps has already backed his captain to eventually break that mark.

Mbappe has repeatedly insisted that personal milestones mean little compared to collective success, stating that he would gladly sacrifice individual achievements if it meant France lifting a third World Cup trophy.

For Stephan and the rest of the French coaching staff, the debate is straightforward: whatever the outside noise, Mbappe remains not only the face of French football but also one of the defining players of his generation.