France captain Kylian Mbappé's reputation for a single-minded approach to the game was amplified during his side's 4-1 victory over Norway. In the second half of the match, Mbappé, upon being substituted in the 87th minute, gestured to English referee Michael Oliver to hand his captain's armband to teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Under new tournament rules, players have a 10-second window to exit the pitch when substituted. Instead of immediately leaving, Mbappé walked towards Oliver, armband in hand, before directing him to pass it to Tchouaméni. Mbappé then slowly departed the field, allowing Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta to enter the game immediately.
France secured a decisive victory against Norway, maintaining their perfect record in the group stage and advancing to the last-32 where they will face Sweden. While Mbappé did not score, he contributed two assists in the rout.
Social media users have frequently and playfully described Mbappé as a 'dictator' due to his commanding presence and perceived eagerness to win. Past instances cited include Mbappé directing ground staff to clear a waterlogged pitch and overseeing team training sessions. The recent interaction with Oliver has further fueled these light-hearted comparisons, with fans commenting on X (formerly Twitter) about Mbappé giving orders even to referees.
Oliver, a prominent Premier League referee, was officiating his second match of the tournament. He was also selected as one of two England-based referees for the competition, alongside Anthony Taylor. Australian official Jarred Gillet is serving as a specialist VAR official.
Oliver had been scheduled to officiate another match but was replaced due to a minor injury, according to FIFA.