Arsene Wenger defends Kylian Mbappe: He is a victim at Real Madrid

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has addressed the criticism surrounding Kylian Mbappe, insisting the forward is being unfairly blamed for Real Madrid's struggles. The legendary coach believes the French star is being made a scapegoat at the Madrid club, but expects him to return to his best form at the upcoming World Cup. This is reported by Goal.com .

According to Wenger, Kylian Mbappe joined a Real Madrid side that is not at its previous level. "There is one person everyone is waiting for right now — that is Kylian Mbappe. I am ready to bet on him; he will have a fantastic World Cup. He has been unfairly criticized many times this season. He arrived in an average Real Madrid team. Previously, Madrid had ten world-class players; now they have only three or four," Wenger told Le Figaro.

The expert believes that Mbappe's reduced playing time due to injuries throughout the season could actually benefit the France national team. While many stars arrive at major tournaments exhausted, the 27-year-old forward will be physically fresh. Wenger noted that many players are drained after the Champions League final, but Mbappe will head to the tournament in North America with great energy.

Arsene Wenger also considers the France national team, led by Didier Deschamps, the main favorite for the upcoming tournament. He stated that the attacking prowess and physical power of the French squad are unmatched by any other team. "I put France ahead of the others. We have such strikers that if the score is 0-0 at the 70th minute, the opponent will still lose. Physical power makes the difference," added the coach.