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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe suffering in 'delicate period' after latest France squad snub
French football president Philippe Diallo admits superstar Kylian Mbappe is suffering through a 'delicate period' after he was bombed from the latest France squad.
The Real Madrid striker was snubbed by his national team manager Didier Deschamps for the second international break in a row ahead of key UEFA Nations League matches. Deschamps, who took Les Bleus to World Cup glory in 2018 and followed it up as a runner-up in 2022, has firmly defended his decision to exclude Mbappe, with France to face Israel on Thursday and Italy in the coming days. The 56-year-old cited his poor form at the Spanish giants as the reason.
The 25-year-old forward has insisted he always wants to be involved in the France national team setup. His absence was made all the more difficult as allegations of rape emerged during the previous international break. Zinedine Zidane is reportedly edging closer to landing the France job with Deschamps feeling the heat.
FFF chief Diallo admits that Mbappe is not going through his best spell, but hopes to see the 2018 World Cup winner back to his best.
"[Mbappe] spoke a lot with Didier Deschamps. I have a close relationship with the coach, so I was kept informed of their discussions and Didier's thinking," Diallo told Le Parisien. "It is the fruit of these discussions that led him to make a choice. Kylian is one of the best players in the world.
"He is going through a slightly more delicate period, but the wish, I think, of all football lovers, is that he gets out of it as quickly as possible, that he becomes again the player who made us dream in 2018 and in 2022, that he finds the Blues, the captain's armband, and that he leads us towards the 2026 World Cup and the search for a third star.
"I want to immediately dispel this idea: every time I've spoken to him, I've always seen in Kylian a lover of the French team, respectful of the jersey he wears. I have no doubt about his full and complete involvement, nor about his behaviour as captain and towards the group. It can happen that you feel a little less good, and the only wish I express is that he returns as quickly as possible to his place, at the head of the French team."
The attacker will watch on as France take on Israel and Italy and will aim to be in good shape for Madrid's next La Liga match against Leganes on November 24.
