Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan is reportedly the leading contender to take the captain’s armband in France’s national team this month. According to RMC Sport, Les Bleus head coach Didier Deschamps considers the former Lille star the ideal candidate to perform as Kylian Mbappe’s deputy.
Mbappe has become the national team’s captain after Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane retired from international football. Deschamps has named Atletico Madrid talisman Antoine Griezmann the vice-captain. Little did he know the ex-Barcelona flop would call time on his international career months later.
With Mbappe set to miss out on France’s upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel and Belgium due to injury, Deschamps has to fill the vacancy. Maignan is the frontrunner. The Milan star has earned 24 caps for the two-time world champions. On top of his leadership skills, the 29-year-old is a world-class goalkeeper.
Maignan’s brilliance between the sticks was the only reason Milan lost only 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen in midweek UEFA Champions League action. He’ll be in goal when the Rossoneri take on Fiorentina on Sunday in the final Serie A round ahead of October’s international break.
There’s no doubt the long-serving Milan ace will be Deschamps’ first choice. But whether he’ll deputize for Mbappe depends on N’Golo Kante’s potential return to the squad. The Al-Ittihad midfielder failed to receive the gaffer’s call-up in September after carrying one of the leading roles at EURO 2024.
Should Kante return to the fold, the Milan stopper would likely fall behind in the pecking order.
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