"France Has No Captain." Fellow Countrymen Accuse Mbappé of Faking An Injury

Due to an injury, Kylian was not called up to the national team, but three days later, he played for Real Madrid.

Mbappé hasn’t been doing well in Madrid so far. Individually, the Frenchman hasn’t been very impressive, and his presence has disrupted Real’s team play. Kylian has decided that the club is a priority over the national team. At least, that’s the opinion in France, where the forward is accused of faking an injury to avoid being called up for the national team.

Mbappé sustained an injury in a Champions League match against Lille, which Real Madrid surprisingly lost. Kylian injured his thigh. The unfortunate news from Madrid was quickly sent to France. Didier Deschamps graciously told his player to rest, leaving the captain out of the squad for the upcoming Nations League matches.

"I spoke with Kylian. It’s a minor issue, nothing serious, but he needs treatment. He won’t be with us; he needs to recover," Deschamps said in an interview with RMC Sport.

But three days later, Mbappé appeared in Real’s starting lineup for a match against Villarreal as if nothing had happened. One can only imagine Deschamps’ surprise. Kylian’s gamble hardly paid off: the 25-year-old striker performed poorly, receiving the lowest rating on the team, and provoked the anger of his fellow countrymen, not just the fans—though they were undoubtedly the loudest critics.

For example, Fabien Bonnet, the spokesperson for France’s leading fan group, stated that the current French team simply doesn’t have a captain.

"Mbappé should be not only a leader on the field but also an example for his teammates and fans, but that’s not the case. Right now, we have no captain. Antoine Griezmann was our captain, but he’s retired from the national team," Bonnet said in an interview with L'Equipe.

Even more prominent figures voiced their concerns. For instance, Maxime Bossis, the legendary defender who represented France alongside Platini, Lacombe, Giresse, and other French legends, was openly puzzled by Kylian’s decision.

"Mbappé is a special player. However, you shouldn't play for your club if you’re injured and miss national team games. Period. But you’re starting in a league match... it’s a strange situation," L'Equipe quotes Bossis as saying.

Patrice Evra, who played nearly 400 matches for Manchester United, believes that the French have created a pedestal for Mbappé and are now suffering the consequences.

"France gave Mbappé too much. First, they handed him the keys to PSG, and now to the national team. I would have given the captain’s armband to Griezmann without hesitation. Mbappé — never. You give him everything at such a young age! Why should he be motivated? With all due respect to him, he’s not yet at Benzema’s level," Evra told RMC Sport.

However, Deschamps tried to downplay the situation.

"We must understand that the interests of clubs and national teams inevitably clash at some point. And we shouldn’t forget: the club is the employer, not the federation, and that’s always been the case. For me, the main thing is the player’s well-being. I don’t want to put Kylian in an uncomfortable position," Deschamps told L'Equipe.

At the same time, the Spanish newspaper AS reports that the coach was actually confused by the whole situation, as he had personally spoken to Mbappé a few hours before Real’s match and was convinced the captain was undergoing treatment. Ultimately, he chose not to air any dirty laundry, perhaps due to the influence of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who is known to be very protective of his players. Deschamps’ words seem to hint at this.

Published by Patrick Jane
08.10.2024