Bixente Lizarazu, a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a European champion in 2000, has expressed his concerns about Kylian Mbappe’s recent attitude towards the French national team.
Lizarazu, who was a key figure in French football’s golden era, feels that the Real Madrid forward, who also captains Les Bleus, is not as impactful as he once was.
He pointed out that Mbappe “is no longer as explosive and decisive”, particularly when compared to his performances in 2022.
In his piece published in L’Équipe (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Lizarazu remarked,
“He is still a very good goalscorer, a very good player, obviously, but he does not frighten defences like he did before.”
The former French international believes the best version of Mbappe was the one seen during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He explained that the forward seems to be struggling to rediscover that form.
Could be just a phase
Lizarazu, who also played for clubs like Bayern Munich and Athletic Bilbao, suggested that Mbappe may be going through a challenging period where he is focusing more on himself.
He added, “There are times when you have to focus on yourself because you have a hard time finding your own version. I think the captain of Les Bleus is going through a moment like that.”
The 54-year-old further attributed Mbappe’s drop in form to his ongoing disputes with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Lizarazu believes that the “psychological war” with PSG has taken a toll on the player’s mental state.
“If you are worried about external thoughts, which colonise you, are negative, it is clear that they have a mental impact, you lose strength, energy, pleasure,” he noted.
Lizarazu also criticised Mbappe’s comments before France’s Nations League match against Italy on Friday, which ended in a 1-3 defeat.
The striker appeared indifferent about how fans at the Parc des Princes, where he had played for the past seven seasons, would receive him. Lizarazu found those remarks inappropriate for someone in a leadership role.
“Those words are inappropriate, especially for a leader and even less so for a captain. You have to try to give hope to the fans, give them something to feel,” he concluded.
