Rarely has an absentee been so talked about in the French team. Not selected by Didier Deschamps for the two matches against Israel and Belgium, Kylian Mbappé is nevertheless on everyone’s lips. Consequence of his start against Villarreal, Saturday, two days after the announcement of his absence for the gathering of the France team.
Present at a press conference on Wednesday, on the eve of the match against Israel, Didier Deschamps took responsibility for his decision, ensuring that it was his own doing. “This is his situation at the time when I make the decision, with the elements at my disposal,” said the French coach. He played the weekend’s match not being 100%. Is it good for the player and the French team? I don’t think so. There was no request, the decision was made by me. » not sure that these explanations convince everyone.
“Mbappé’s priority is Real Madrid”
At the RMC microphone, Mathieu Valbuena was very harsh with the captain of the France team. “A captaincy is not just a piece of fabric around your arm, it is also having responsibilities on and off the field. And I think it would have been important that he could have been there for those matches, even if he knew he was tired. He could have been there for the group, that’s what captaincy is too. He also has treatment in the French team, he could have been there and his decision is quite strange. regretted the former Marseillais.
“What is surprising for fans of the France team is the fact that he is not in the selection and that he is playing this weekend against Villarreal. Mbappé’s priority, I find that it is not the French team, it is Real Madrid, he asserted. He comes to a new club, he knows that he has everything to prove and that it is not easy to succeed there. I think he’s putting everything he has to perform… We saw his last outings with the French team, he wasn’t a great Mbappé, even in his investment, his way of playing, we had the impression that he wasn’t there. »
