Captain Mbappé is back in business. Absent from the last two rallies of the French team, the Real Madrid striker made his comeback with the Blues for the double confrontation against Croatia as part of the quarterfinals of the League of Nations. A comeback that the former Paris Saint-Germain player began with an honest speech. “I can understand a lot of things. As I often say, I have this quality of being lucid about what I do with good and not well. I know that people were not happy with what I was doing on the field and outside. Afterwards, I had reasons which were explainable or not. I have no problem questioning myself. I never had a problem with criticism when they are argued. I was not good against Italy, my press conference had not rained, I was not unusual as captain. The most important thing is to move forward and no longer redo the same mistakes ”assured the Bondynois after a start to the 2024-2025 season as complicated on the ground as questionable outside.
Two new mixed services
Far from its best level and confronted with many controversies, the neo-madrilene was therefore logically expected for this rally in March, which is more after its rise in power under the Merengues colors. With 30 goals and 4 assists in 43 matches in all competitions with Casa Blanca, the former Monegasque had to confirm his renewal in the jersey of the Blues. While the double world champions finally validated their ticket for the Final Four after falling against Croatia on the outward journey (2-0, 5-4 TAB), the time is therefore up to the balance sheet. So let's start with the purely sporting aspect with a single question: what to retain the performance of the Blues capital during the double confrontation against the Vatreni? To this question, the most severe will certainly note the lack of success of the Habs in the face of the goal. Difficult to prove them wrong. Once again silent against the Croats – whether in Split or at the Stade de France – Kylian Mbappé has, in fact, chained a 7th match in a row without scoring with the French team, that is to say its longest series without scoring in selection.
A long scarcity which should not however question the entire work. Credited by a 5.5 by the FM editorial staff during the two meetings against Luka Modric's teammates, Mbappé will remain one of the few French satisfactions during the collective sinking of his own in Croatia in the first leg (0-2). Positioned slightly on the left side of the attack, at the place it likes, it was the only one to have brought a concrete danger in the Croatian surface in the first period, with two framed strikes (13th, 23rd) on two good services from Digne. If he then underwent the roughness of the defense, who often committed the fault to stop him, he nevertheless gave a helping hand in the creation, wisely, and knew how to find several times in the heart of the surface. Little successively successful and despite the sad overall performance, the right -hander of 1m78 finally confirmed his rather encouraging return, Sunday evening, at the Stade de France. In a much more axial role – a direct consequence of Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé's tenure on the sides – the 26 -year -old made a satisfactory copy, although not necessarily up to what we can expect from him.
An exemplary attitude rented internally
Closely monitored by the Croatian defense, the number 10 of the Blues has certainly ignited French supporters by its multiple dragster accelerations but above all harvested many times (15th, 27th, 95th, 74th). When he was doing the right gesture? Dominik Livaković then took out the big game to prevent the Bondynois from finding a smile once and for all (109th, 117th, 119th). What does it matter. At the end of a decisive penalty shootout where the French international (86 selections, 48 goals) deceived, not without difficulty, the last rampart of Fenerbahçe, the Blues validated their ticket for the semi-finals of the League of Nations. Kylian Mbappé, he finally exulted with the 7,7502 spectators present in the lair of Saint-Denis. Yes, but here, in addition to the ex-Paris return on the green rectangle, his attitude, his involvement in the game and more generally his management of the capital will remain so many elements to highlight.
“Kylian's return?” Very happy. We discussed it in a club, it was his heart to come back. He brought this joy, which he has always brought. He is a leader, we are very happy to have it with us ”also recognized his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni during this truce. A rally that also allowed Kylian Mbappé to clarify things with a certain Mike Maignan, author of the chat who had caused a fracture between the two men. Provisions logically highlighted by Didier Deschamps, just a few minutes after the qualification torn off for the Final Four. “He was a leader in the first leg already, he is remarkable on this gathering. He goes very well in his head and in his body. He had a very fair speech at the chat. Beyond the player he is, he had a complicated passage, but he had taken over from the capital. Differently, they are not the same personalities and the same characters as Hugo Lloris and Raphaël Varane after the 2022 World Cup »noted the coach of the French team at the microphone of TF1.
Before putting a layer at a press conference: “He is radiant, Kylian has been a great leader since the beginning of the week, with very fair speeches on the field and outside, a lot of enthusiasm and will, and he was the leader to prepare for this match too. He's a great player and he was a great leader and captain on this gathering ”. If he did not treat his statistics, Kylian Mbappé took advantage of this gathering to regain certain legitimacy. That of a captain at the service of the collective. That of a technical and vocal leader. The one, above all, of a man capable of recognizing his faults to reinstate a general harmony within the France group. A comeback ultimately successful and necessarily praised by Blues who will find Spain, reigning European champion, next June to try to reach the final of the League of Nations.
