Deschamps praises Dembele; Mbappe rejoins French squad

France's manager Didier Deschamps praised Ousmane Dembele's impressive performance ahead of the Nations League match against Croatia. The match will take place on Thursday in Split, Croatia. This is the first leg of the quarter-final. The second leg will be on Sunday in Paris. Dembele has scored 30 goals for Paris St Germain this season. Deschamps noted that Dembele is in excellent form and understands the game well. He acknowledged that Dembele has improved his efficiency in front of goal. Kylian Mbappe is back in the squad for the first time since September. He expressed excitement about rejoining his teammates. "It's great to be back with the group," Mbappe said. He revealed that he often talks with many of his teammates outside of football. Mbappe, who has 86 international caps, missed previous matches after moving to Real Madrid. He mentioned that while things may have seemed unclear from the outside, he felt good about his situation. "A career isn’t linear," he explained, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and happy. Looking ahead, Mbappe set his sights on the 2026 World Cup. He stressed that preparing well for such a significant tournament is crucial. Deschamps expressed confidence in his team's ability, noting that both Mbappe and Dembele can greatly contribute to their success.