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Ibrahima Konaté has named Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jules Kounde, Mike Maignan, and himself as the players who can step up and become the France captain with Kylian Mbappe out. He believes that the players have it in them to be the leaders in the squad.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday (October 8), Konate said that leadership is a quality people are born with and it cannot be learned. He added that there are four players in the squad who can step up and said (via Get Football News France):
"Being a leader is something that is innate. You either have it or you don't. You have to be someone that everyone likes. A leader has to be there especially when things aren't going well. It's like the foundations of a house; he holds up the group so that everything can go well.
"Some players have the profile. I have two or three names: Mike (Maignan), myself, Jules (Koundé) and Aurél(ien Tchouaméni). Those are the only names that come to mind."
Kylian Mbappe is out of the squad to face Israel and Belgium this month. The Real Madrid star is dealing with a hamstring injury and was left out by Didier Deschamps.
Why is Kylian Mbappe out of France squad?
Didier Deschamps has hinted that Real Madrid forced Kylian Mbappe to opt out of the France squad. He claimed that the players are employed by the clubs and they have to listen to them. He said:
"One must prioritise the interest of the player without putting him in difficulties with his club. The interests of clubs and the interests of national teams necessarily diverge at some point, and we must not forget that the employer is the club, not the federation."
"The most important thing is the interest of the player, and I know very well that he will not go against his club and does not want to go against the national team. Mbappe attracts a lot of attention; we should not give it so much importance but rather see it more generally. Clubs have always resisted the idea of the player going to the national team and taking risks, and I am not here to take risks."
Kylian Mbappe played for Real Madrid last week against Villarreal (October 5) after missing the Atletico Madrid clash.
