Kylian Mbappe was left out of the French National team as Didier Deschamps announced the squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Italy and Israel. France Football confirms it after releasing the squad.
Kylian Mbappe, who was appointed France’s captain in March 2023 during the Euro 2024 qualifiers, last featured for Les Bleus in their Nations League match against Belgium last month, which ended in a 2-0 victory for France.
Controversy for Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe earlier faced controversy when he withdrew from the French squad, citing an injury, but later played for his new club, Real Madrid.
According to French media, coach Deschamps said, “It’s my decision, it’s better that way. I can understand that it’s not enough for the media, but I’m not going to get into an argument that leads to interpretations. I don’t want to tell you more; I take responsibility for this decision. I had talks with him but I’m not going to get into that. I spoke directly with Kylian. We may not agree on certain things, but it’s my responsibility to make decisions. I made this one for this gathering.”
Later, he affirmed that Mbappe is out, saying, “The main thing is that the decision is made.”
Mbappe’s recent bad run with Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe has faced a difficult run of form recently in both La Liga and the Champions League, with his performances falling short of expectations. In the La Liga El Clasico recently, Real Madrid was crushed 4-0 by Barcelona, with Mbappe failing to score or assist despite having three shots. He continuously played and tangled in Barca’s offside trap.
His struggle continued in the Champions League when Madrid lost 3-1 to AC Milan. Mbappe took eight shots but couldn’t find the net, and his performance was far from the usual impact h e brings to the team. However, there was a brighter moment in their previous UCL clash with Borussia Dortmund on when Madrid won 5-2, and Mbappe could only register an assist.
