Mbappé calls to mobilize against the National Rally

The day after Marcus Thuram’s clear stance against the RN, the captain of the French team Kylian Mbappé launched a message “against the extremes” on Sunday, without formally taking sides with a view to the legislative elections. June 30 and July 7.

The preparation of the Blues for Euro-2024, which begins Monday (9:00 p.m.) for the vice-world champions against Austria in Düsseldorf, continues to be impacted by the political crisis in France, triggered by the dissolution of the National Assembly decided on June 9 by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron after the victory of the National Rally in the European elections.

The words of the superstar of the Blues, accustomed to giving his opinion and sharing his opinion on social issues, were particularly awaited. The attacker, as usual, weighed his words carefully and did not kick into touch but he refused to be as explicit as Thuram – who had called on Saturday to “fight so that the RN does not pass” -, while defending his teammate by saying that “he didn’t go too far.”

“I am against extremes, ideas that divide,” declared the future Real Madrid player (25) during the press conference the day before the match, without specifying which political groups he had in his sights.

“I think we are at a crucial moment in the history of our country. The situation is unprecedented, which is why I want to address all the French people and the young generation who can make the difference. I call on young people to go vote, we see that the extremes are at the gates of power, we have the opportunity to choose the future of our country,” he added.

For Mbappé, “the situation is more important than tomorrow’s match (Monday)” and he refused to appear as someone “disconnected”, highlighting the “values ​​of tolerance, diversity and respect”. “I hope that we will still be proud to wear this jersey on July 7,” at the end of the second round of the legislative elections, he continued.

Mbappé’s exit came after the publication on Saturday evening of a press release from the French Football Federation asking to “avoid any form of pressure and political use of the France team” and calling for respect for its “neutrality », in response to the anti-RN declarations of Marcus Thuram. Just before this update, the president of the FFF Philippe Diallo had spoken on the phone with Mbappé and the vice-captain, Antoine Griezmann, according to a source close to the matter.

Unsurprisingly, Mbappé did not really take into account the federal reaction and did not take refuge behind any duty of reserve to dodge questions about the next legislative elections. He even revealed that the players of the France team were preparing joint action on the subject. “No one on the team gives a damn,” he said.

Coach Didier Deschamps, who answered questions from the media after his captain, also went against the FFF by defending the right of his troops to express themselves.

“They are immense footballers but above all French citizens. They are not outside the situation that France is experiencing, for those who doubted it. They come with the possibility of saying things with their words, their sensitivity, that will probably fuel the debate,” he said, insisting on the fact that the Blues represented “diversity, solidarity, union, the diversity”.