Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Chelsea and France star Florent Malouda has given his thoughts on France 's World Cup campaign and the leadership driving them towards the trophy.
The 2006 World Cup finalist has hailed the leadership of Kylian Mbappe , Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise , explained what Mbappe must do to chase down Lionel Messi 's records, and assessed the Ballon d'Or race.
The Champions League winner has also delivered his prediction for France vs Norway , raised his concerns about the weather affecting games, and explained why Mbappe can still leave the impression that he is the best player in the world.
France Form
Reaction to France vs Iraq?
I'm happy first about the result and happy to also witness the leadership of Kylian Mbappe . I think our main players, Mbappe , the Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele , and Michael Olise , as well, are taking a big role in that team in terms of leadership.
I think the most satisfying thing is the level of focus. You can see that there is a performance and there is a result, but the level of focus gives confidence because it shows that they really want to win this competition and that they are ready.
How Do You See France vs Norway Going?
I don't know what the plan of Didier Deschamps will be for this third game if there will be rotation, or how they will manage the squad. But obviously, the objective is to maintain confidence because going into the knockout stage, you don't want to lose confidence or look shaky because you rotated the team.
So, I think you still want to maintain the pressure; it would be more about testing the ability to defend well to prepare for the knockout stage. We have a lot of goals in that team, so I would go for 3-1 for France .
Mbappe benched? No, I think he wants to play; he wants to start. He's the captain, and I don't know how this will be discussed with the manager, but I think for him to prepare is a matter of confidence. I see him starting the game, scoring, and then maybe coming off after 50 minutes.
Could the Weather Impact More Games?
The weather is a big concern; I think we saw that the Club World Cup was a bit of a practice for the World Cup . It's one of the possibilities, and apparently, the regulations allowed the games to go on for so long, but it's a bit surprising.
It's more about how it affects the preparation of the players because to be focused, to stop, and restart is a bit tricky. Obviously, when you get the results, no one complains.
Mbappe and Messi
Should Messi Enjoy the Scoring Record While He Can?
World Cup top scorer is a record that Lionel Messi must enjoy while he can, because Kylian Mbappe is going to catch him. I was looking at the impressive numbers for Messi , but considering the number of World Cups he's been part of, Mbappe has the ability to chase every record.
You can see 16 goals in 16 games. For sure, he has this in the back of his head; he wants to put his name up there on the list. So for me, what's exciting is to see those two players showing up on the biggest stage and really competing to prove that they are the best.
Mbappe and Messi had this duel during the last final, and you can see that now it's another opportunity to show who is the best on the biggest stage.
Should We Compare Mbappe to Messi and Ronaldo?
Can we compare Kylian Mbappe to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ? I think in terms of numbers, he's chasing them, but he has a long way to go because of their longevity.
Those two players, we have to enjoy while they're still playing, because I remember playing against them, and they're still playing. Mbappe will be inspired by them. The way he looks after himself might give him a chance to chase them and to participate in as many World Cups as they did.
And also, I think to be in the same comparison, he would need to win a few Ballon d'Ors as well. I think he would be assessed on this, what they have done as the best players in the world for so long. I think people still want him to prove it.
Ballon d'Or Race
Who Is Your Ballon d'Or Favourite?
Michael Olise is a real challenger for the Ballon d'Or because of the level that he played at all season, and I mentioned the leadership role that he's taking in the French national team, which is very impressive.
So if France win the World Cup , of course, he will be one of the challengers. And let's not forget Ousmane Dembele . Dembele had a season where he had to deal with a few setbacks and injuries.
But he won the Champions League , and he's still there, he's still a big part of the French national team now. He's almost the vice-captain of this national team. So those two will not be too far. And since they did the back-to-back with PSG , I think Dembele is looking for a back-to-back with the Ballon d'Or , which has not been done since Messi and Ronaldo .
Can Mbappe Get Into Ballon d'Or Contention?
Kylian Mbappe can still win his first Ballon d'Or . He didn't have a bad season, but because Real Madrid were not able to go and compete to win the Champions League , I think he took a lot of blame and criticism.
But when you look at what he's achieving with the French national team from the group stage, you can feel that he's fully fit, he's very hungry, and he's scary. He's showing all his skills, and I think he can leave that impression that he's the best player in the world in that competition.
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