Kylian Mbappé’s early days at Real Madrid have been somewhat rocky. Despite scoring eight goals and recording two assists in 16 appearances, the former Paris Saint-Germain star is still struggling to find consistency.
As a result, France national team manager Didier Deschamps left his captain out of the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches for the November FIFA international window.
The Frenchman’s El Clásico debut was particularly tough, as Real Madrid were hammered 4-0 by Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu on October 26. The struggles continued last week, with a 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
After two challenging losses, the Spanish side bounced back on Saturday with a 4-0 convincing win over CA Osasuna. Vinicius Junior recorded a hat-trick and Jude Bellingham chipped in with a goal. However, the Frenchman again struggled.
L’Equipe journalist reveals Kylian Mbappé’s unpopularity
Antoine Simonneau, L’Équipe’s correspondent in Madrid, discussed Kylian Mbappé’s current situation and the heavy criticism he’s facing in France during an appearance on Carrusel.
“Right now, he is a player who is mentally down and accumulating a lot of problems,” Simonneau said (h/t Diario AS). “He has lost a lot of popularity. He is the focus of a lot of people’s anger because, in the end, he doesn’t have the attitude of a captain, and that bothers a lot of people in France.
“I think there is a kind of psychological issue with Kylian because you can tell he’s not the same on the field; he’s also not obedient, and we don’t see him enjoying himself. All of this, coupled with the fact that he sees he’s not as beloved in his country as he wanted to be, I think it causes a general discomfort and affects his performance on the field.
“Having your captain not be called up for two France squads creates a lot of anger and frustration. I also think it’s partly to protect him from all of that, because if he’s called up, he has to go, and generally, the captain speaks with the media. So, it’s a way to protect him both in the media and from a sporting perspective.
“Deschamps knows how important Mbappé is for winning titles. On a personal level, he has a lot of respect for him and holds him in high regard. The two of them are in charge in France. I think not calling him up is a way of protecting him.”
