Kylian Mbappé broke his silence and spoke for the first time about his absence during the last international break with the France team. The former PSG star, who is going through a complicated period at Real Madrid, was keen to explain the reasons for his non-call-up.
During the last international break, French coach Didier Deschamps shocked supporters by not calling on Mbappé, citing the star’s difficulties at Real Madrid. A month later, Mbappé spoke about this controversial decision in an exclusive interview.
Deschamps was aiming to clinch top spot in the UEFA Nations League A in November, but opted to field a team without its star player for matches against Israel and Italy.
As France clinched first place, speculation swirled around Mbappé’s future with the team and his captaincy. Speaking to Canal+, Mbappé spoke of the situation with a mixture of nostalgia and understanding.
“Yes, I miss it, because I haven’t been there for a long time. In September, I asked the coach not to go. I had just arrived in Madrid. I had a very short vacation. The coach insisted that I go. After October I got injured, I wasn’t on the list, I spoke with them and the coach told me it was better not to call me. He’s the boss, I’m behind him. I wanted to go, but I can’t say why they didn’t call me.”he explained.
Mbappé acknowledged his fitness concerns, which ruled him out of October’s matches, but subtly pointed the finger at Deschamps as the driving force behind his absence despite his desire to play. He also analyzed the current state of the France team and its ambitions.
“So far we have reached two finals, one of which was unnecessary. Order must be restored. It’s a bit complicated, but we always knew how to do it, how to get back to the right place. If I manage to get two stars out of the three on the jersey? It wouldn’t be bad.”Mbappé told journalist Mouloud Achour.
One of the most discussed moments of Mbappé’s absence was Deschamps’ revelation on Téléfoot that the striker was going through “a complicated situation”. “Whether it goes as far as depression, I don’t know, but it’s a psychological state that is fragile. It’s the head that controls the legs.” noted Deschamps, causing general concern.
When asked about this, Mbappé responded to these allegations, denying any problem with depression. “I had times where I was tired, but I wasn’t depressed. There are people who are very depressed, we have to help them. At one point I felt exhausted, because I didn’t rest. I have had sporting disappointments. But the other thing is just talking for the sake of talking, which is free.”he concluded.
