Kylian Mbappe won the World Cup in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2022 (Photo: Getty)

Kylian Mbappe will become the new captain of the France national team following news that Raphael Varane has retired from international duty, according to reports.

Les Bleus have been in the process of selecting a new skipper since the end of the World Cup, after Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris announced his international retirement.

Manchester United defender Varane was tipped to take on the armband, especially after Karim Benzema also took the decision to retire, but on Thursday the 29-year-old revealed he too was walking away from the national team.

This all marks a huge change for France following the bitter disappointment of losing the Qatar 2022 final to Argentina on penalties.

And now, according to French Football News, it looks like the country’s star player Mbappe is set to take on the role of captain at just 24 years of age.

The PSG forward has been heralded as leader for France in recent times especially after he almost single-handedly saved his country in December’s final by scoring a hat-trick against Argentina.

So far, he has scored 36 goals in 66 caps for France.

Raphael Varane was tipped to replace Hugo Lloris as France captain before he announced his retirement (Photo: Getty)

It is said that Olivier Giroud could also be a contender for the captaincy, but at 36 the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker is also expected to hang up his international boots.

Mbappe will have a lot to live up to after Lloris guided France to victory at the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League, as well as the finals of World Cup 2022 and Euro 2016.

The Spurs skipper served as his country’s captain for 10 years and followed in the footsteps of the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane.

It is not known when the official announcement of who will take over as captain will be made, but will surely come before France kick-off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in March.

Les Bleus have been draw in Group B alongside the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Greece and Gibraltar.

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