Thierry Henry defends Mbappé over team-effort criticism.

It is one of football’s never-ending debates: are Kylian Mbappé’s 40 goals a season worth less if his presence is seen as affecting the overall balance of the team?

Despite his extraordinary numbers and his status as one of the most decisive players in world football, Mbappé has regularly been criticised for the way his style of play can influence the collective structure of his teams. His defensive contribution, positioning and freedom in attack are often discussed whenever a team struggles to find the right balance around him.

However, Thierry Henry believes the debate is sometimes unfairly focused on the French captain.

Speaking on Rothen s’enflamme on RMC, the former France international defended Mbappé and insisted that it is primarily the coach’s responsibility to create a system capable of getting the best out of his star player without weakening the rest of the team.

According to Henry, there is absolutely no reason why a team cannot play attractive and effective football with Mbappé in the side.

“You can play well with Kylian,” Henry explained. “It is up to the coach to find a situation that puts the team in the best possible conditions. That will be Zizou’s job, just as it was Didier Deschamps’ job, and just as it was the responsibility of every coach Mbappé had at PSG or Monaco.”

For Henry, the key issue is therefore not Mbappé himself, but finding the right tactical balance around him.

“You have to find the right balance. It is difficult, whether Mbappé is there or not,” he continued.

The former Arsenal striker then used Manchester City as an example to show how much the absence or presence of one key player can completely change the structure of a team.

🚨🚨 LE REAL MADRID SOUTIENT KYLIAN MBAPPÉ 🇫🇷 QUI SERAIT VICTIME "D’UNE CAMPAGNE DE DÉNIGREMENT INAPPROPRIÉE" selon le club par rapport aux réactions des médias et supporters madrilènes. 🤍🤝

Toujours selon le club, LE JOUEUR SEMBLE SE DÉTACHER DE + EN + DES CRITIQUES DONT IL… pic.twitter.com/9KWP8wQ8rZ

— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) October 2, 2026

“You take Rodri out of Manchester City and suddenly they start conceding counter-attacks. And yet that is only one player, with Pep Guardiola as coach. If you put Rodri in Barcelona’s team, they probably concede fewer goals.”

Henry’s point is clear: football is based on collective organisation, and even the strongest teams can become vulnerable when certain tactical pieces are missing.

He also recalled a conversation he once had with Christophe Galtier during the French coach’s time at Paris Saint-Germain.

“I asked Christophe Galtier: ‘How are you going to find the balance?’ That is always the question. Mbappé is not really the problem.”

Henry therefore refuses to place the responsibility for a team’s tactical difficulties entirely on Mbappé.

For him, a player capable of scoring around 40 goals per season remains an exceptional weapon. The real challenge is for the coaching staff to build a structure that allows Mbappé to express his attacking qualities while ensuring that the rest of the team remains organised, compact and competitive.

As the debate continues around the France captain, Henry’s message is simple: instead of asking whether a team can win with Mbappé, coaches should focus on finding the system that allows them to win with him.