Thu Mar 20 20:00:00 UTC 2025: ## France Captain Mbappé Owns Past Mistakes, Ready to Lead Against Croatia
**SPLIT, CROATIA** – France captain Kylian Mbappé is back in the national team fold after a six-month absence, and he’s not shying away from addressing his previous shortcomings. In a pre-match press conference ahead of Thursday’s Nations League quarterfinal against Croatia, Mbappé acknowledged criticism of his captaincy following a disappointing September match against Italy.
“I am lucid enough to know what I do well and what I don’t do well,” Mbappé stated. He admitted that his performance and pre-match press conference before the Italy game were poorly received, failing to unite the team. “I didn’t play well against Italy, and my press conference didn’t please people, because as captain I didn’t bring people together,” he conceded. “I accept that, but now the most important thing is to move forward.”
This admission marks a shift from Mbappé’s previous reaction to criticism, where he downplayed public opinion. His recent return to form with Real Madrid, where he’s scored 31 goals in 44 games this season, has seemingly aided his self-reflection. He also addressed concerns about his priorities, previously criticized for playing for Real Madrid while recovering from a minor injury that sidelined him from international duty.
Despite his past struggles, Mbappé retains the captaincy following discussions with coach Didier Deschamps. He expressed his happiness to be back with the national team, looking forward to playing alongside Ousmane Dembélé, with whom he forms a potent attacking partnership. “He’s another string to our bow,” Mbappé said of Dembélé, highlighting the unpredictability their combined talents bring to the French attack.
The match against Croatia marks Mbappé’s first start for France since the Italy loss and is seen as a crucial test of his renewed leadership and form. The two-legged tie begins in Split, with the return leg in France on Sunday.
First Piper 