Former France star Kévin Diaz has criticized Kylian Mbappe following the FIFA World Cup, drawing a direct comparison between the Real Madrid forward and NBA superstar James Harden. Speaking on After Foot, Diaz argued that while Mbappe consistently posts outstanding individual statistics, his style of play does not ultimately lead his teams to championship victories.
Diaz drew a parallel to basketball icon James Harden, noting that both athletes are generational talents whose heavy influence on their teams can create structural weaknesses. "I like to draw parallels, and I was thinking of James Harden: one of the best players in basketball history, multiple-time leading scorer and MVP, but who has never won the title in the NBA," Diaz explained. "He had so much influence on his team that unfortunately, especially defensively, there were holes. And ultimately, his teams never managed to go all the way, despite being part of 'superteams'."
According to Diaz, football requires a cohesive team dynamic that Mbappe has struggled to foster in recent years. "Kylian Mbappe is the best goalscorer in the world, the one with the best ability to finish," Diaz said. "But soccer, like basketball, are sports where you have to build a group that performs together, with and without the ball. He is the most decisive player at the highest level, but he doesn't win. And as long as he doesn't win, we won't be able to say anything other than: he hasn't been able to make his teams win at the highest level since 2018."
Mbappe previously won the FIFA World Cup with France in 2018 and guided the national team to the final in 2022, where they lost to Argentina despite his historic hat-trick. During the most recent World Cup, Mbappe enjoyed a highly productive individual campaign, scoring 10 goals to win the Golden Boot. The France star battled Lionel Messi for the prestigious individual award, eventually securing it following a brace against England in the third-place playoff.
However, France's collective performance fell short of expectations, culminating in a semifinal defeat to Spain. Reflecting on the elimination, Mbappe expressed his disappointment with the team's tactical execution. "I think we didn’t play our game, technically and tactically. When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win," Mbappe said in an interview via Madrid Xtra. "Spain stayed true to their game plan. If we are honest, we did not have what it takes to go to the final."
The France captain was reportedly furious with his team's performances in both the semifinal and the third-place playoff, later admitting that he would have gladly traded his individual Golden Boot award for another team trophy.
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