Injury-hit France needs Mbappé even more at the World Cup

By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With defending champion France missing so many big names through injury at the World Cup there is even more of an onus on Kylian Mbappé to become the team’s leader in Qatar. He was 19 years old when he took the last World Cup by storm. He scored in the final and becoming a superstar every team in the world would love to have. Who could down 14-time Champions League winner Real Madrid? Mbappé did twice. The 23-year-old Mbappé already has 28 international goals and could add to that tally against Australia on Tuesday in Group D. France coach Didier Deschamps says Mbappé has “the ability to make a difference and we’ll need it here.”