What did Kylian Mbappe say to Antoine Griezmann? Report details PSG star's meeting with 32-year-old star following France captaincy snub
Manager Didier Deschamps choosing Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Kylian Mbappe as France's new captain over Antoine Griezmann threatened disruption in the dressing room.
However, as per AS, it's believed that the two players have sorted out any potential differences behind the scenes. The 24-year-old is said to have held a private meeting with Griezmann where he conveyed that he understood the latter's 'disappointment after not being chosen captain'.
Mbappe also told the 32-year-old that he 'counted on him' to be one of the leaders of the national team in the coming years. He's of the opinion that L'Equipe Tricolore have many players who can provide leadership in the team without the weight of the armband.
Griezmann is eight years senior to Mbappe and has played a major role in the country's return to prominence on the international stage in the last decade. The 117-cap France international helped his country lift the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Griezmann was also notably important in Les Bleus' run to the 2016 UEFA Euros final, where he won the 'Player of the Tournament'. France, though, lost to Portugal in the final.
Since then, Mbappe seems to have had the baton passed onto him when it comes to scoring goals for France. He scored four goals in Russia before netting eight times in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where Les Bleus fell at the final hurdle.
The decision to elect him captain, though, initially seemed to have upset Griezmann, so much so that the player was believed to be considering his future with the national team. However, it seems that all is well in the Les Bleus camp after the meeting between him and Mbappe.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe set to captain France in Euro 2024 qualifier against Netherlands
Kylian Mbappe is in line to lead France against Netherlands in Saint-Denis in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday (March 24).
The PSG forward will look to continue the goalscoring form which he displayed in Qatar. He won the Golden Boot in the tournament and scored a hat trick in the final against Argentina.
Mbappe has netted 31 times in 33 games across competitions for PSG this season. He will also have the chance to match Karim Benzema's tally of 37 goals for Les Bleus.
The PSG forward has 36 goals in 66 senior caps and is sixth on the all-time list of his country's goalscorers. Benzema, who is one place above him, announced his retirement in December. Antoine Griezmann (42) is third - 11 goals behind the country's most prolific player, Olivier Giroud.