France
Didier Deschamps turns his back on Kylian Mbappé for Nations League double header
The Real Madrid striker will play no role for Les Bleus in their forthcoming games against Israel in Paris and away trip to Italy.
For the second time in succession, Kylian Mbappé has not been called up for the French national team, with his absence sparking a debate in France about his ongoing and future commitment to Les Bleus.
National team head coach Deschamps reiterated, in the press conference after the announcement, that Mbappé wanted to play for the French national team and emphasised that his decision, was purely on sporting merit and did not respond to any disciplinary or extra-sporting reasons. At times during the press briefing, the coach was questioned about Kylian’s “presumption of innocence” after his trip to Stockholm where the striker was linked with an alleged rape in the hotel where he was staying.
Many have speculated that the Sweden trip could be the trigger for Mbappé's absence from the French squad with Deschamps agreeing with the striker that he could rest in Madrid to recover from the injury he suffered against Alavés and not selecting him in the previous window. Mbappe subsequently made the trip to the Nordic nation.
“I am not here for the players to tell me how good and handsome I am,” Deschamps claimed in the press conference with the former player never shying away from dropping high profile stars if he feels they have undermined his authority with the Benzema and Rabiot cases being examples.
In September, Mbappé called Deschamps to tell him that he did not want to be called up for the Nations League but later the striker’s mother, Fayza Lamari, intervened and Mbappé was called up to play against Italy and Belgium. After losing 1-3 to the Azzurri, the Real Madrid forward had a row with Maignan in the dressing room and also privately questioned his coach’s tactical approach.
In October, both parties agreed to the striker sitting out the two UEFA Nations League games and L’Équipe reported that for the current call-up, Mbappé told Deschamps that he preferred to stay in Madrid as well.
L’Équipe: Deschamps and Swedish courts
L’Équipe added more details regarding the real reasons why Deschamps finally ruled out Kyian Mbappé as the decision comes about from the coach aware that the striker was going to monopolize attention throughout the training camp and that non-sporting issues, including his trip to Sweden in October, were going to divert attention from France’s main objective, leading the Nations League group.
Mbappé, as captain of the French national team, would have had to face the media, with the alleged rape in Stockholm certain to figure in the questioning. L’Équipe also claim that at any point in time, the Swedish justice system could summon Mbappé to testify in the case of the alleged rape.
Mbappé's absence from the squad does appear to be an isolated case and everything points to a Les Bleus return for the next round of international games in March 2025.