Following the defeat on penalties to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, France captain and Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris announced his international retirement.
With several of the obvious candidates to replace him also hanging up their international boots, including Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane, Mbappe and Griezmann emerged as the frontrunners for the armband.
The two forwards had been Les Bleus’ best players in Qatar and earlier this week it was confirmed that PSG’s all-time top goalscorer had been given the nod by Didier Deschamps.
‘Kylian ticks all the boxes to have this responsibility. On the pitch as well as within the squad, by being a key element,’ the manager said.
In addition, Atletico star Griezmann was named vice-captain, something that came as a disappointment to the 32-year-old who would have hoped to have become the new skipper by virtue of his ability and greater experience.
‘I spoke with Antoine. He was disappointed and that’s understandable,’ 24-year-old Mbappe said in a press conference transcribed by RMC Sport.
‘It’s an expected reaction. I told him that I would have had the same reaction. He is perhaps the most important player during the Deschamps era.
‘I am not his hierarchical superior. He and I will be hand in hand to try to allow his team to impose itself on a global level. If he has something to say to the group, I’ll sit down and listen.
‘You mustn’t shut the door to anyone. Everyone is free to express themselves.’
2018 World Cup winner Mbappe, who has 36 goals in 66 caps, follows in the footsteps of several legendary France captains including Lloris, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane and Deschamps.
He is expected to lead his country out on Friday night when they kick-off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in Paris against the Netherlands.
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