At 27 years old, Ousmane Dembélé is one of the veterans of France’s national team. He was part of the squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and went to the 2022 final in Qatar.
Dembélé has worked alongside manager Didier Deschamps for several years, but despite this, the coach has other plans on who will captain the squad this international window.
Kylian Mbappé wasn’t called up for these UEFA Nations League matches, so Les Bleus will have someone else leading them for the two contests; the question is, who will wear the armband?
A report from RMC Sport suggests that Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konaté is one of three potential candidates to captain France in the absence of the Real Madrid standout.
With coach Didier Deschamps considering Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba as options, Konaté has become a serious contender.
RMC Sport also highlights that Deschamps holds Konaté in high regard, noting that his infectious charisma and personality have earned him the respect of his teammates.
The report also mentions that Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, at 24, meets all the requirements for the role, although his confident demeanor hasn’t always been well-received by everyone. Additionally, AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, the undisputed France No. 1, will not take on the captain’s armband.
