Graeme Souness has insisted France 'weren't terribly convincing' in their 2-1 win over Denmark on Saturday despite the World Champions confirming their place in the last 16 at the World Cup with the victory.
Kylian Mbappe's brace helped Didier Deschamps' side to their second win in as many games in Qatar but they were made to work for three three points after they were pegged back by their opponents.
Souness, speaking on ITV, criticised the defending champions' showing but admitted that France 'don't have to be brilliant to win things' because of the brilliance of Mbappe.
'They have to be better than that', Souness began. 'When you've got an absolute goalscorer which he [Mbappe] obviously is, and the way they play where they try to suck teams onto them, when you've got someone who can get goals for fun, you don't have to be a brilliant team to win things.
'For me tonight they weren't terribly convincing all over the pitch but with an out-and-out striker like him who scores for fun they are dangerous.'
Mbappe has already equalled Lionel Messi's tally of seven goals at World Cups and now scored three goals in Qatar in two games.
He has moved level with Zinedine Zidane in the charts of France's all-time top scorers with 31 goals in 60 games, including 14 in his last 12 outings.
There is a worry among fans that the 23-year-old is carrying the French team, with several social media users suggesting his quality papers over the cracks in the squad.
One Twitter user said: 'Mbappe carries France they’re shocking without him', while another added: 'If Mbappe carries France to another WC with Adrien Rabiot in midfield it's time to give him all the individual awards for the next four years.'
A third user wrote: 'Mbappe carries France same way he's been carrying Messi in Ligue 1 and Champions League.'
Les Bleus still have to play Tunisia in their final game of Group D, but seem set to win the group and face the runner up of Group C in the last 16 before a potential fixture against England in the quarter-finals.
MaxwellJeromeRomes
0
Excuse me and who has been carrying Argentina for years? At the end of the day Mbappe is a member of team France and that's all that matters.
he's France 🇫🇷 most important player
Ceteikstuz
0
Messi fans love to hear people say Argentina is carried by Messi but can’t listen when people say France is carried by mbappe 😁
Miockmnt
2
why are you wasting saliba on the bench? 😭
Tumacdlnru
1
this guy Souness is a clown. best technical quality game of the tornament so far. France played great & Denmark had a quality equaliser. France could of had a couple more. mbappe is part of the team and did his job. ...don't forget that France is without 6 starting players
Other players on the team performed well. That man is really trash. I think dembele had a good game. I also think not taking martial as a replacement for Benzema was a stupid act.
AbdulRahimMubarak
1
I don't get it. isn't Mbappe part of the team? isn't he suppose to bring in his abilities in moments when the team isn't performing well? will Mbappe play all alone on the pitch? ...then people are behaving like France isn't playing without its actual backbone ( Pogba, Kante, Benzema...). exceptional personal performances is what makes a team, some people just enjoy saying lots of stupid stuff as if football wasn't a collective sport.
well said bro sometimes I dont understand some ex players
lanostuz
5
this guy Souness is a clown. best technical quality game of the tornament so far. France played great & Denmark had a quality equaliser. France could of had a couple more. mbappe is part of the team and did his job. ...don't forget that France is without 6 starting players
Dunbdkpryz
6
No wonder Pogba always had some harsh words against this fellow. France have been miles ahead of your pathetic England.
vauanrty
1
Nice to me to boss
Newo
0
Excuse me and who has been carrying Argentina for years? At the end of the day Mbappe is a member of team France and that's all that matters.
DrShepherdK
5
I don't get it. isn't Mbappe part of the team? isn't he suppose to bring in his abilities in moments when the team isn't performing well? will Mbappe play all alone on the pitch? ...then people are behaving like France isn't playing without its actual backbone ( Pogba, Kante, Benzema...). exceptional personal performances is what makes a team, some people just enjoy saying lots of stupid stuff as if football wasn't a collective sport.
Simpler02
1
Moment of silence pliz .....The Boy deserve a special part of land in Versailles he did a great job today