lThe package took on the appearance of a package: exempt from the meeting of the French team due to an injury from which he was not supposed to have recovered, Kylian Mbappé was nevertheless a starter, on Saturday, October 5, during the victory (2-0) of Real Madrid against Villarreal in the Spanish league. The Blues’ star forward did not score, but he still came out to the applause of the public at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, in the 70th minute.my minute.
We can see in this anomaly one more symptom of the priority that the players give to their club over their national team, or a simple agreement agreed between Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid coach, and Didier Deschamps. Especially because Kylian Mbappé has been an embarrassment for the French national team coach in recent times. Present or absent, Mbappé poses a problem.
His personal priority is undoubtedly to find a place in Madrid, something that seems much less obvious than one might have thought just a few months ago: despite a flattering total of 7 goals (including three from penalties) in eleven games under its new colors, its expression on the ground is the continuation of a decidedly very complicated year 2024.
Status reinforces status
Mbappé is going through the worst moment of his professional career as he lost confidence at the same time as his status at Paris Saint-Germain, which was a first surprise, and not the least. From the beginning of a career hitherto devoid of notable depressions, he displayed a confidence that seemed infallible, to the point of justifying the reproach of arrogance. But isn’t pride what characterizes every exceptional athlete?
For the great players of the big clubs, status directly determines that confidence so appreciated by attackers. It grants them many privileges, such as the security of being starters, a team designed for them and a club entirely at their service, or even priority in taking penalties. Status reinforces status.
With Euro 2024, the French team offered Mbappé the opportunity to recover his technical and mental qualities, to support the thesis of a momentary crisis of doubts, essentially linked to the heavy context at PSG, which would end as soon as more favorable conditions return. . Unfortunately, neither his speed nor his efficiency returned during the European Nations Championship, which added to the doubts.
The physical decline thesis
In Germany, only during the two matches of the French team in September (against Italy and Belgium), the captain of the Bleus put on an armband already disputed, his egocentrism seemed hardly compatible with the qualities of a band leader. It was goalkeeper Mike Maignan who, on September 6 in the France-Italy locker room (1-3), launched a speech aimed at general apathy… and a certain lack of particular involvement.
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