Philadelphia [US], July 3 (ANI): France captain Kylian Mbappe was honoured for reaching 100 international appearances after receiving a special commemorative jersey from France head coach Didier Deschamps, marking a milestone moment for the forward during national team celebrations, according to posts shared by Equipe de France on X.
"Welcome to the Centenarians Club, @KMbappe received from the hands of Didier Deschamps a very special jersey to honour his 100 caps in Bleu," Equipe de France wrote while sharing a video of the presentation.
The ceremony came as France also celebrated a major coaching milestone for Deschamps, who has become the most successful manager in FIFA World Cup history in terms of victories.
"RECORD HISTORIQUE! With 17 wins in the World Cup, Didier Deschamps has become the coach with the most victories in the history of the competition," the French national team posted on X, adding that the achievement was acknowledged by French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo, who also presented a commemorative jersey.
France may have emerged as one of the standout teams of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, but captain Kylian Mbappe and head coach Didier Deschamps have insisted their impressive form will count for little if they underestimate Paraguay in Saturday's Round of 16 encounter in Philadelphia.
Les Bleus have won all four of their matches so far, scoring 13 goals while conceding just twice. Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola have combined for 12 of those goals, underlining France's attacking firepower heading into the knockout rounds.
Despite their dominant run, Mbappe stressed that the knockout phase represents a completely different challenge. "I'm fully aware of what's at stake, where I am and what I have to do," Mbappe said after scoring twice in France's 3-0 victory over Sweden, according to Reuters.
"The team know what they have to do here as well. A new competition IS starting."
Deschamps also dismissed any suggestion that Paraguay's place in the last 16 was a surprise, warning his players against complacency after the South Americans knocked out Germany. "I've watched Paraguay: what they have achieved is no accident," he said. (ANI)
