Mbappé criticised after leaving France camp as Dembélé reportedly demands more defensive effort

Kylian Mbappé has been criticised in France after leaving the national team’s final pre-World Cup training camp just hours after France’s 3-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland. The federation authorised his departure for personal reasons, but the move has drawn scrutiny after images circulated showing Mbappé in Madrid with his girlfriend and reports that teammate Ousmane Dembélé confronted him about his defensive contribution in training and the dressing room.

Why it matters

This episode comes days before France fly to the United States to base themselves in Boston and open their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Senegal. The fallout matters because it touches on squad harmony and on-field responsibilities: the player at the centre of France’s attacking threat is being publicly questioned about his defensive work, and images of him away from camp have intensified fan reaction. With France preparing for a group that the source described as particularly tough, any questions over cohesion or focus are significant for Didier Deschamps.

What the reports say happened in camp

According to the report, L'Équipe first detailed a confrontation in the France dressing room in which Ousmane Dembélé urged Mbappé to take a more active role in pressing and ball recovery. World Soccer Talk relayed that episode and added that Mbappé’s authorised departure from camp – described as for personal matters – became a bigger story when pictures appeared of him in Madrid with his girlfriend, Ester Esposito.

The report also highlights an awkward-looking interaction between Mbappé and N'Golo Kanté caught on camera in a tunnel before France’s warm-up game against Ivory Coast, where the two appeared to look away from each other without greeting one another. The source links that moment to wider dressing-room tension, and references a March 29 incident when Kanté, wearing the captain’s armband, was reportedly asked to hand it over when Mbappé entered the field late in a France vs Colombia match. Those items are reported by the source rather than independently confirmed here.

Federation reaction and logistical context

World Soccer Talk reports the federation authorised Mbappé’s exit from the training camp, and that Les Bleus have since departed Le Bourget airport and flown to Boston, which will serve as their World Cup base. In warm-up matches mentioned in the reporting, France lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast and beat Northern Ireland 3-1; the latter friendly was described as a farewell match for home fans ahead of the trip to North America.

What supporters and media are saying

Social media reaction has been swift according to the source: many supporters had questioned the timing of Mbappé’s trip to Madrid so close to the team’s departure. The Dembélé report has revived an ongoing debate about Mbappé’s defensive work-rate, a subject that has been aired at club and international level for several seasons. The source suggests the combination of a reported dressing-room discussion, the tunnel exchange with Kanté and the post-camp images has amplified unease among parts of the fanbase.

• Mbappé left France’s final pre-World Cup training camp with federation permission after the 3-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland.
• Images circulated showing Mbappé in Madrid with his girlfriend, Ester Esposito, which intensified fan criticism.
• Reports (citing L'Équipe) say Ousmane Dembélé confronted Mbappé about his defensive effort in the dressing room.
• An apparent cold exchange between Mbappé and N'Golo Kanté was captured on camera before the Ivory Coast friendly.
• France have departed for the United States and will open their World Cup group against Senegal on June 16.

What it means for France and next steps

Coach Didier Deschamps will now aim to focus the squad on preparations in Boston ahead of the Group I opener. The source underlines that France still need their best attacking performances from Mbappé against a group that includes Senegal, Iraq and Norway. How the reported tensions are managed behind the scenes — whether they are quickly soothed or allowed to fester — will be watched closely by supporters and the media as the tournament begins.

There are no reports in the source of any disciplinary action by the federation; the exit was described as authorised. The coming days and the first competitive fixtures will be the clearest test of whether the stories of dressing-room friction will have a material impact on France’s preparation or early tournament form.

What happens next

France start their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Senegal. Expect scrutiny to remain on Mbappé’s on-field workload — both in attack and in defensive phases — and for observers to look for signs of cohesion or continued tension in match footage and team interactions as the tournament gets under way.