Jules Kounde has praised France captain Kylian Mbappe’s leadership, stating that he "inspires respect and recognition from his team-mates".

Mbappe was named as captain of the national team by Didier Deschamps in March 2023 after World Cup-winning skipper Hugo Lloris announced his retirement.

The Real Madrid forward has scored 50 times for his country, seven goals behind Olivier Giroud’s record, including 12 in 14 World Cup matches.

France begin their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup with a trip to Ukraine on September 5 after finishing third in the Nations League in June.

Kounde believes leadership comes naturally to Mbappe as they look to begin their quest to regain their title from 2018.

"I've always found that he does it quite naturally,” said Kounde.

“He's very present for his teammates, very open to discussion, he shares responsibilities.

“Because of the player he is, he inspires respect and recognition from his teammates. It's quite natural for him."

Along with Ukraine, France will also face Iceland and Azerbaijan in Group D. The nation that tops the group will receive a spot in the draw for the World Cup, while the runners-up will enter a play-off for the remaining berths.