Mbappé eyes improvement as France captain after absence

It will be his first start for France since a 3-1 loss to Italy on September 6. That match was held at Parc des Princes, home to his former club Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappé said he did not handle things well at the time.

France's Kylian Mbappe. Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

Kylian Mbappé returns to lead France against Croatia after a six-month absence and on Wednesday criticized himself over how he handled the captaincy before.

The Real Madrid star captains Les Bleus in Split in the first leg of a Nations League quarterfinal on Thursday, with the return leg on Sunday at Stade de France.