KYLIAN MBAPPE is set to be named the new France national team captain aged 24, according to reports.
Les Bleus are on the hunt for a new skipper to lead the side going forwards following Hugo Lloris’ international retirement.
The Tottenham stopper wore the armband at the World Cup in 2018 as France were crowned champions, lifting the iconic trophy after the win over Croatia.
Four years later, Didier Deschamps’ men came within a penalty shootout of retaining the title but lost in heartbreaking fashion to Argentina.
Lloris, 36, decided to step away immediately afterwards, leaving Deschamps to find a replacement.
And according to Get French Football News, Mbappe is the leading candidate.
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The Paris Saint-Germain forward delivered the goals and the performances in Russia and Qatar – and now he could be tasked with becoming the official leader of the team on and off the pitch.
Despite his relatively young age, Mbappe has already racked up 66 senior France caps, scoring 36 goals – including eight in Qatar to win the Golden Boot.
Karim Benzema and Steve Mandanda were both possible successors to Lloris but have also retired from international football.
And arguably the most obvious next choice as captain, Raphael Varane, also walked away aged just 29 in a shock announcement.
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That leaves only 36-year-old Olivier Giroud and the reserved character of Antoine Griezmann as the two remaining members of the 2022 World Cup squad with more caps than Mbappe.
However, Giroud is likely to follow in the footsteps of his former team-mates by ending his international career, too.
That leaves Mbappe as the only genuine option as a guaranteed starter in the France XI with enough experience to become the new skipper.
The ex-Monaco ace was promoted to vice-captain at PSG by manager Christophe Galtier after making a U-turn to stay put at the Parc des Princes.
Marquinhos is the club captain but when he was on the bench against sixth-tier US Pays de Cassel last month, Mbappe wore the armband for the first time – on a night where he scored FIVE goals.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
