France’s head coach, Didier Deschamps, has stood by Kylian Mbappe amidst criticism over his performances at Euro 2024.
Real Madrid’s latest acquisition has managed just one goal during France’s European campaign, scoring a penalty against Poland.
Mbappe, who broke his nose in the 1-0 victory over Austria, has been playing with a protective mask since the injury.
Despite returning to the pitch swiftly, the forward has faced heavy criticism for his lack of goals.
Nevertheless, Mbappe remains the sole scorer for France in the tournament.
Addressing the criticism, Deschamps defended Mbappe on the French television show Telefoot.
“Don’t you think he has already made enough history with what he has done so far?” Deschamps said.
“He wants to make even more history. We did everything we could with him, with the medical staff, to get him to be here. During the preparation, he had a little back problem, too, but Kylian is here.
“Even if he’s not 100%, I know very well that for the opponent, knowing he’s playing makes them think and forces them to adapt.”
France has scored only three goals in Germany, with two being own goals and one from Mbappe’s penalty.
Remarkably, they are the first team in Euro history to reach the semi-finals without scoring a goal in open play.
They advanced to face Spain on Tuesday after defeating Portugal 5-3 in a penalty shootout, eliminating Cristiano Ronaldo and his team.
