In November, Didier Deschamps called up his French national team players for the final two matches of the Nations League. Captain Kylian Mbappé never got his invitation. French supporters and former national team players have given the 25-year-old a lot of trouble for skipping a previous Nations League gathering while he was playing for Real Madrid. When the national team captain was left out in November, rumours emerged that this was due to a conflict between the captain and the national team coach. Now the Real Madrid player confirms that everything is not in order.
Mbappé himself says he was ready to put on the blue shirt in November, but that Deschamps withdrew his ticket.
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“It was the coach’s decision not to choose me, even though I was ready, and I stand by that. But I can’t tell you why I wasn’t chosen. Didier didn’t want the reason to be publicly known, so I can’t tell you. He can say it himself if he wants,” Mbappé said in an interview with Canal+.
There is little doubt that Zinedine Zidane dreams of leading the French national team. When Didier Deschamps was rumoured to be leaving after the World Cup in Qatar, Zidane was ready.
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Didier Deschamps, who had been national team manager since 2012, thought in 2022 ten years was enough and wanted to find something else to do after the World Cup in Qatar. The federation was fully aware that Zinedine Zidane was the only option, and persuaded Deschamps to stay.
The French Football Federation is packed with little kings who would see their position threatened if Zinedine Zidane, who is one of the historic greats in France and one of the world’s very best coaches, were to step in as national team manager, but now there are murmurs in the Les Bleus dressing room.
French journalist Romain Molina claims that several players have grown tired of Didier Deschamps and want Zinedine Zidane as national team manager.
After Mbappe’s explanation (without saying it) that it is Deschamps who holds a personal grudge against his captain, Zidane is moving closer to his dream job. France needs Mbappé more than Deschamps.
