– I've already said what I had to say. There are 23 players here and that's it. Kylian Mbappe is not here. Please leave him alone, thundered Didier Deschamps at one of the press conferences. In this way, the coach of the French national team tried to put an end to speculations and rumors about the lack of a call-up to the Real Madrid player for the November training camp. The media reported, among others: that there was a conflict between the coach and the player, although the person concerned himself argued that this was not the case and that the decision about the 25-year-old's absence was a “one-off”.
He later revealed some more details about Mbappe's problems. – It is true that Kylian is currently in a complicated situation. I'm on his side. He is going through a period that is not the happiest in his career. It's about both the physical and mental aspects – said the coach.
Didier Deschamps spoke about Mbappe. Again. “I have no reason to think otherwise.”
And even though the training camp has already ended, journalists do not give up and are still trying to get a little more out of Deschamps. Further questions about the absent player were asked after Sunday's match between Italy and France (1:3).
And just as before, the coach reacted quite nervously, this time he was a bit calmer and gave a factual answer. – Yes, Mbappe is in a complicated situation. But that doesn't diminish what he's done before. I believe that he will be able to return to his previous form, even if he was not that effective in 2024. I have no reason to think otherwise, emphasized Deschamps, quoted by espn.com.
Deschamps says it straight. “I don't know if we can talk about depression here…”
This time, the coach went a step further and touched on the mental burden that footballers face nowadays. This results not only from an increasingly tight schedule, but also from the fact that they are more visible and exposed to public judgment on social media.
– The reality is different. Nowadays, there is a risk of exposure, so the slightest word, social media, and then there are side effects. (…) I don't know if we can talk about depression here, but it's definitely a mental state when you are fragile. But it's the head that leads the legs, added Deschamps.
Mbappe did not appear at the November training camp. During the match, France suffered a setback, drawing 0-0 with Israel. – France didn't win against Israel, France only drew against Israel and finally France is absolutely pathetic – thundered Daniel Riolo, a columnist for RMC Sport. The local media also expressed a similar opinion. Deschamps' team left a much better impression on Sunday, when they defeated the Italians 3-1.