Simple bad luck, depression or burn-out? Real Madrid striker and captain of the France team Kylian Mbappé, absent during this gathering of the Blues as during the previous one, does not seem in the best mental condition to perform at his best level for some time.
This Sunday, in the Téléfoot show on TF1, Didier Deschamps was questioned about the mental health of his players and in particular that of his captain. “He is in a complicated situation, yes, but that does not take away what he has done and he is supposed to find everything he was able to do very well, even if he too, in the year 2024, will was less effective, indicates the national coach. Every time we must, we must, we must and then, sometimes, it doesn't respond or it responds less well and there can be a psychological state… Going as far as (talking about) depression, I don't know, but a psychological state which is fragile. It is the head that controls the legs. »
The 1998 world champion admits that the media context is completely different from that which he experienced in the 1990s and 2000s when he was a player at OM, Juventus or Chelsea in particular. “The environment is different because there is exposure today: the smallest word, social networks and then the sequence. I spoke with some of my players. After a competition like the Euro, having barely three weeks, you find it difficult to meet the demands. They are getting higher and higher. »
He also spoke about Mbappé's positioning at the forefront of the attack where he is less comfortable, perhaps, than on the left side. “He can play in several positions, then there are associations. You will perhaps tell me that I am tired of putting him as a center forward but he also played center forward with his last two coaches. He doesn't have the profile of Giroud, obviously, so it all depends on which team we play against too. When he is in the axis, he prefers the left axis rather than the right axis even if I saw him at Real Madrid rather occupying the right axis. These are balances. »
