Mbappé criticizes himself for previous mistakes as he returns to captain France

By JEROME PUGMIRE The Associated Press
Updated: March 19, 2025 - 6:01 PM
Published: March 19, 2025 - 5:42 PM
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in Villarreal, Spain, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Alberto Saiz]

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé returns to lead France against Croatia after a six-month absence and is openly critical over how he handled the captaincy before. The Real Madrid star captains Les Bleus in Split in the first leg of a Nations League quarterfinal Thursday. It will be his first start since a 3-1 loss to Italy on Sept. 6. Mbappé says he did not handle things well at the time and accepts he was not playing well enough. Speaking at a pre-match news conference Mbappé says “I have never had any problem with criticism when it is deserved” and adds that “as captain I didn’t bring people together.”

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