Captain Kylian Mbappe was absent for the second consecutive time, as France gathered to prepare for two Nations League matches in mid-November.
At the press conference announcing the list of 23 French players on November 7, coach Didier Deschamps said that Mbappe wanted to be called up this time, but he did not agree. The 56-year-old coach also did not reveal whether the Real Madrid striker was injured or not.
“We may not agree on everything,” Deschamps added. “These are ongoing discussions between me and the players. I’m not here to be told I’m the best and the most handsome. I listen to them. I’m always inspired by these discussions, whether individual or collective, to defend all the players.”
Kylian Mbappe reacts after France lost 1-3 to Italy at Parc des Princes, Paris, France on September 6, 2024. Photo: Reuters
Deschamps refused to reveal the content of the conversation with Mbappe, but considered it important for him to make a decision. “I can have many conversations beyond the field, to know if there is a problem. These conversations are very important. With calmness, full and clear information, I make the decisions that I think are best,” he expressed.
Mbappe missed the October training camp due to “physical conditions”. At that time, the 35-year-old striker went to Stockholm, Sweden to party with a group of friends and was accused of rape . Deschamps denied that Mbappe was excluded due to this incident. Mbappe himself also said that this was “fake news”, while his lawyer considered the possibility of complaining about “defamation”.
Kylian Mbappe was lackluster in Real’s 1-3 loss to Milan at the Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Spain on November 5. Photo: Reuters
After joining Real on a free transfer in the summer of 2024, Mbappe has scored eight goals in 15 games, just one less than Vinicius. But the 25-year-old striker has lost efficiency compared to his 256 goals in 308 games for PSG and 48 goals in 86 games for France.
Mbappe has been criticised for being lacklustre in the centre-forward position and not being able to link up well with other stars like Vinicius and Jude Bellingham. In the 0-4 loss to Barca on October 26, the French captain even missed many opportunities to face the goalkeeper and fell into the offside trap eight times. He continued to disappoint when he failed to score in the 1-3 loss to Milan in the fourth round of the Champions League on November 6.
Real ‘s form has also taken a hit since Mbappe’s arrival. The reigning champions are currently second in La Liga, nine points behind Barca, and have dropped to 17th in their Champions League group with six points from four games – a position that requires a two-legged play-off to reach the round of 16.
During this training session, France will meet Israel on November 14 and Italy on November 17. Deschamps and his team are currently second in Group A2 Nations League with nine points, one point behind Italy.
France team’s training list for FIFA Days in November 2024
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens), Lucas Chevalier (Lille)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barca), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano ( Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio), N’Golo Kante (Al Ittihad), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)