Kylian Mbappe has come to the defence of teenager Lamine Yamal, urging the Barcelona star's critics to “leave him alone”.

Eighteen-year-old Yamal has enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring twice and providing three assists in four LaLiga matches, though a groin injury has limited his minutes in recent weeks.

The winger, who won his second consecutive Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony last month, has been ruled out of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria.

His recent fitness issues have sparked a row between Barca and the Spain national team, while Yamal’s private life has also faced scrutiny over the past year.

Mbappe, who made his Ligue 1 debut with Monaco at 16, believes the focus should only be on Yamal’s performances on the pitch.

“You can see [Yamal] has a passion for football and that's the only thing he must not lose,” Mbappe told Jorge Valdano in an interview on Movistar.

“[Yamal] is a great football player, but in life he's an 18-year-old kid.

“At 18, everyone makes mistakes. He'll live his life. We should only look at what he does on the pitch.

“The rest isn't important, as long as it isn't anything serious. He's a player with a great talent.

“The rest is just his life. People talk about his personal life, but I think people should leave him alone.”