Former Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé has stirred up some controversy in France after Didier Deschamps left him out of the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium.
Although Mbappé is currently recovering from a thigh injury, which might justify his absence, it’s not the only reason for the decision. He was included in the squad for the match against Villarreal and even started that game.
This has drawn considerable criticism in France, especially since Mbappé is the captain and is expected to be available when fit. Bixente Lizarazu refuses to enter into the controversy regarding Kylian Mbappé’s absence from the French national team.
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
🆚 @VillarrealCF@UnicajaBanco | #RealMadridVillarreal pic.twitter.com/iZYI0tCvSD— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) October 5, 2024
However, he does not say the player needs to clarify the issue because the optics make it seem he doesn’t care about Les Bleus.
“I am not shocked that Kylian is not there,” Lizarazu noted (h/t Le10Sport). “He had an extremely exhausting last season at PSG and a highly anticipated arrival at Real, which is necessarily energy-draining.
“If a player is going through a somewhat complicated psychological and physical situation, it’s understandable that he needs to ease off to better manage his health, whether he is captain or not.
“The challenge is that it needs to be clear to everyone. Right now, it isn’t, and it gives the impression that the Blues are not a priority, which is not a good message.”
It’s interesting to see how French manager Didier Deschamps navigates the latest controversy when the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner returns to the national team, as well as how the Real Madrid star addresses the situation.
There’s also curiosity around whether the media will treat it differently, given that Mbappé is the captain and is expected to uphold a higher standard.
