Mbappé vs Vinicius Jr: all you need to know

This comes withiut much suspense, since he had already played minutes last Tuesday at the Etihad, Kylian Mbappé was called up by Didier Deschamps for the two friendlies against Brazil and Colombia on 26 and 29 March in the United States. This is the last international window before the World Cup, and it was expected, as reported by several French media outlets, that the Real Madrid forward would be included in the national team coach’s squad.

After a month out, Mbappé returned to the pitch last Wednesday at Manchester City’s stadium in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. He came on in the 70th minute for Brahim and showed in several plays that his knee problems have subsided, leaving a positive impression.

On Sunday, in the derby against Atlético de Madrid, a crucial match for Real Madrid, he is expected to start.

Even while recovering, Mbappé would likely have been called up by Deschamps for contractual reasons. France has commitments with Nike in the United States and is currently negotiating a new sponsorship deal with the American multinational, so the Real Madrid player’s presence on the American tour was, in principle, never really in doubt.

It remains to be seen what condition Mbappé will be in for the two friendlies. Real Madrid will be competing for two titles in April, La Liga and the Champions League against Bayern Munich, and ideally the French captain will not play every minute against either Brazil or Colombia. Both Deschamps and the French national team’s medical staff have been monitoring his progress daily and will not take unnecessary risks, even though the match against Brazil, who are also sponsored by Nike, represents a major showcase ahead of the World Cup.

Mbappé also has his sights set on arriving at the World Cup as France’s all-time leading scorer. He is just two goals away from equalling Olivier Giroud’s record, a mark he could even surpass in the friendlies against Brazil and Colombia. However, the Real Madrid striker is not considering pushing himself in either match. Everything will depend on his recovery and on how his knee responds in the derby against Atlético.

France complete squad list:

Goalkeepers: Maignan, Samba, Chevalier

Defenders: Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández, Kalulu, Konaté, Upamecano, Saliba

Midfielders: Camavinga, Kanté, Koné, Rabiot, Tchouaméni, Zaïre-Emery

Forwards: Mbappé, Akliouche, Cherki, Dembélé, Doué, Ekitike, Kolo Muani, Olise, Thuram

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