France captain Kylian Mbappe is under fire in his home country after opting out of the national team’s upcoming Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium, despite being fit to play for Real Madrid.
After recovering from a muscle injury sustained last month, Mbappe made his return to the pitch last Wednesday in the Champions League, but France coach Didier Deschamps decided to leave him out of the squad, citing a lack of preparation due to limited match time.
Critics, including former France international Maxime Bossis, have voiced their concerns about Mbappe’s decision. He told French sports daily L’Equipe, “Either you’re injured, and you don’t play with your club and you’re not called up to the national team. But when you come off the bench in the Champions League and you start a league game, it makes things fuzzy.”
Mbappe’s situation is particularly complex, as he is the national team captain, a role he assumed ahead of Antoine Griezmann, who recently announced his retirement from international football. Griezmann’s dedication to the team was evident during his record run of 84 consecutive matches for France from 2017 to 2024.
Fabien Bonnet, a spokesperson for the Irresistible Francais, France’s main supporters’ group, criticized Mbappe’s actions, stating, “As a captain, he must be an example for the fans, and he has not been. What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone.”
As France prepares for its matches, currently sitting second in Group A, the team’s dynamics and leadership are being closely scrutinized. France will face Israel in Budapest on Thursday before traveling to Belgium next Monday.