Social media criticized Mbappé for sending the young player Cherki to request the captain's armband from Kanté, questioning why Mbappé did not ask himself.
3 April 2026 GMT+7: In a friendly match where France defeated Colombia 3-1, the incident occurred in the 78th minute as France prepared a substitution. Mbappé, about to come on as a substitute, signaled for Rayan Cherki, who was being substituted off, to run to Kanté, who was wearing the captain's armband at the time, and ask him to remove it and bring it to the sideline for Mbappé to wear before stepping onto the pitch.
The image of Cherki running to take the armband from Kanté's arm and handing it to Mbappé to wear before entering the field sparked backlash from fans and critics. They accused the striker of disrespecting Kanté, who is one of the most respected players on the national team. Sending a "child" to fetch the armband was seen as an order lacking respect for a senior teammate.
Many felt that Mbappé should have entered the field first and then received the armband directly from Kanté as a gesture of respect between teammates.
However, another group of fans argued that this might be following "team protocol," since Mbappé is the number one team captain. Receiving the armband before entering the game could simply be a way to keep the match flowing smoothly without stopping to exchange the armband on the field.