"It's too early" - Adil Rami explains why Kylian Mbappe shouldn't captain France and names his ideal candidate to succeed Hugo Lloris
Former France defender Adil Rami recently explained why he doesn't want Kylian Mbappe to be Les Bleus' captain just yet. With Hugo Lloris retired, Didier Deschamps' team are in need of a new captain.
Rami, however, believes the 24-year-old attacker is still too young to be handed the armband. He told Telefoot (via GOAL France):
"I think it's too early for him to have the armband. He is the best player today in the France team and we don't need to put any additional pressure on him. Because if you wear the armband, something happens. We feel that the looks, the responsibility, the pressure rests on you."
Rami further added that Antoine Griezmann should take over as the French national team's captain. He said:
"He has experience, he has played in big clubs, there is also his longevity in the France team."
Rami further added:
“He is a player who manages to be liked by all his teammates."
Speaking about the responsibilities of being a captain, Rami said:
"It is an additional pressure, there is a lot of work on all fronts. I want to do well so much that I leave feathers to the passenger. It's only a small piece of fabric but it's a lot of responsibility."
Mbappe has so far made 66 appearances for the French national team, scoring 36 goals. He won the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and was the Golden Boot winner of the 2022 edition of the tournament.
Nuno Mendes spoke about his experience of playing alongside Kylian Mbappe
Nuno Mendes has established himself as one of the finest full-backs in the french league. The Portuguese is a highly-rated prospect.
The speedster recently shared his experience of sharing the pitch with Kylian Mbappe for Paris Saint-Germain. Mendes said (via Canal Supporters):
“We are used to playing together in training, in match, We are two very fast players, Kylian is a little faster than me, but I think we have a good connection and the speed helps us a lot.
"It doesn’t work in every game, but the games where it worked ended in goals and I intend to give him a lot of assists, like my other teammates.”
Facing the speedy duo of Nuno Mendes and Kylian Mbappe is a nightmarish prospect for any opposition. Given the young age of both players, fans can expect their partnership to flourish in the coming years.