Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has raised eyebrows with a shock decision on his international career with France national team
The Monaco prodigy and Real Madrid sensation recently came under fire for wilding away his international break at a nightclub after failing to make France’s national team squad for the October international break.
Recall France head coach Didier Deschamps decided to leave out the talismanic forward due to concerns about his fitness after he recently returned from the sidelines for Real Madrid’s 1-0 UCL defeat to France side Lille.
Deschamps revealed he did not want to take risks with Mbappe’s fitness by including him in the French squad following the recent return from the sidelines.
On the night France edged out Israel 4-1 in their first match in the break, Mbappe stoked reactions as he went clubbing in a Swedish nightclub.
Now, Mbappe may not only be missing a few matches with the national team but several other fixtures.
According to French outlet, Foot Mercato, Kylian Mbappe has reportedly informed France national team that he will only be available for the team for only ‘important’ matches.
The decision has been attributed to the spike in football fixtures for footballers recently, forcing the players into unnecessary and frequent injuries.
This means Mbappe will not be available to play for the national team, mostly during international breaks, and will only feature for the team in important matches.
At the time of filing this report, Mbappe has yet to comment on the report and it is unclear whether the France national team hierarchy will pander to his demand.
Footballers have complained recently over congested football fixtures with many calling for football’s governing bodies to revisit football fixtures and schedules.
Kylian Mbappe has 48 goals in 86 international appearances for France’s national team and is regarded as the team’s best player now.
What Mbappe’s purported decision means for France national team
Kylian Mbappe has been integral to France national team, providing both sporting and leadership leverage. His most notable performance for Les Blues was an iconic hat-trick against Argentina in the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Before the 2022 World Cup, Mbappe again was pivotal as France skimmed to the final of the 2018 World Cup and edged out Croatia to win it. From competitive matches to international friendlies, the 25-year-old has been a cog in Didier Deschamps’ Brazil squad. He capped his meteoric rise in French football with his recent emergence as the captain of the team.
His decision to only play important matches will see the team miss his services in some fixtures. While the increasingly congested fixtures have apparently played a role in his decision, it is not likely the French football hierarchy will pander to his demand.
It is more likely that Mbappe will get his wishes to only select matches he wants to play turned down. This may put him at odds with the French hierarchy. However, he would hope to count on the immense respect Didier Deschamps has for his career to pull this through.
