The appointment of Kylian Mbappé as the new captain of the French football team aroused the disappointment of Antoine Griezmann who also claimed this new status. Present at a press conference this Thursday, on the eve of the match against the Netherlands, the Parisian striker considered his partner’s disappointment “normal”.
Kylian Mbappé, promoted captain of the France team, felt on Thursday that it was “normal” that Antoine Griezmann was “disappointed” not to have been chosen as the wearer of the armband, during his first press conference since his appointment by coach Didier Deschamps. “I spoke with Antoine. He was disappointed and frankly it’s understandable and normal. In his place, I would have had the same reaction. He was perhaps the most important player of the Didier Deschamps era. But I will not be his superior,” said the successor of Hugo Lloris, on the eve of the match of the Blues against the Netherlands at the Stade de France counting for the qualifications for Euro 2024.
“Antoine is esteemed and loved by the whole group”
With the international retirement of Lloris, record holder of the number of selections in the France team (145), and that of his vice-captain Raphaël Varane, the names of Mbappé (24 years old) and Griezmann (32 years old) stood out to occupy the captain function. Deschamps decided from the start of this first gathering since the 2022 World Cup by preferring the PSG striker, despite the blue past of Griezmann, whose first of 117 selections dates back to 2014.
“Antoine is esteemed and loved by the whole group, it would be a shame not to take advantage of his experience. We will be hand in hand to make this French team win”, added Mbappé who said he wanted to be a “unifying” captain. and “team oriented”. Deschamps, for his part, indicated that Griezmann’s “disappointment at the time” was “legitimate”. But according to the boss of the vice-world champions, the Atletico Madrid player has been “radiant” and “resplendent” since the start of the rally, while the daily The Team had expressed on Wednesday Griezmann’s questions about the rest of his international career since the announcement of the choice of the new captain.