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France captain Kylian Mbappe has pledged to ramp up his defensive contributions as the two-time world champions gear up for the start of their World Cup campaign against Senegal on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker has come under scrutiny for his performances and leadership both at club and international level, with France team-mate Ousmane Dembele publicly defending him, stating the criticism had crossed a line.
Speaking to the French newspaper La Parisien, Mbappe fielded questions from colleagues and family members. When his younger brother Ethan—a player for Ligue 1 side Lille—teased him about his defensive abilities, Mbappe admitted there is room for improvement.
"I need to take that extra step [in my defensive work] because it's a crucial aspect for the team, and I have to do it," he said.
"It will begin this time because we aim to win, and to achieve victory, I'm prepared to do anything, as I want to succeed at any cost."
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Mbappe, who joined the Spanish capital club from Paris St-Germain in 2024, has faced a challenging second season at the Bernabeu amid growing fan frustration and whispers of unrest in the dressing room, with Real failing to secure any silverware.
He finished as La Liga's leading scorer, but his defensive contributions were minimal, according to data from Opta.
Among 1,490 players in Europe's top five leagues (England, Spain, France, Italy and Germany) who made at least 19 league appearances, he ranked 1,350th for combined interceptions, blocks, tackles made and possession regained.
Additionally, he recorded just 0.14 tackles per 90 minutes—the fifth-lowest figure in those rankings.
Mbappe has excelled on the grand stage, scoring 12 goals in 14 World Cup appearances to date, including a hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina.
One more goal will see him equal Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer, during his first World Cup as captain after taking the armband from Hugo Lloris in 2023.
Following Senegal, France will face Iraq and Norway in their remaining group matches.
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