As Kylian Mbappe struggles with Real Madrid, things aren’t much better with France: What’s gone wrong?

Kylian Mbappe will not feature for France this November international break as Les Bleus finish their UEFA Nations League campaign against Israel and Italy. After this next international fortnight, international soccer goes on pause until next March with a fresh slate ahead of FIFA 2026 World Cup qualification for the French. Before that, though, head coach Didier Deschamps will attempt to lead his players through the two remaining UNL games and he has opted to do it without his captain Mbappe having done so back in October after a problematic set of September games.

“We had several discussions and I made this decision for this international camp because I feel that it is better this way,” the World Cup-winning ex-captain explained at a press conference last week having unveiled his latest selection. “I am not going to argue. What I will say is two things. First of all: Kylian wanted to come. Second: It is not non-sporting issues that are coming into play here — presumption of innocence exists. It is a choice which I repeat is a one-off for these next two games.”

Deschamps’ words have been the subject of great speculation and discussion which has not been aided this week by a source close to Mbappe reportedly informing L’Equipe that “it is an incorrect or incomplete version of the truth. It is far more complex and to believe that it is simply the coach deciding is false. The most important thing is that Kylian ca get back to playing soccer again. The rest will follow.”

So, how have things reached this point where France and Deschamps are choosing to do without Mbappe who is in great difficulty with Real so far?

Real Madrid woes

There is no getting away from the 25-year-old’s time so far at Santiago Bernabeu being a major disappointment. Mbappe’s form and fitness have not been great since his arrival in the Spanish capital as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain and he arrived under a cloud having injured his nose at UEFA Euro 2024 as well as being blocked from representing his country at the Olympic Games in his hometown by his new employers. Although eight goals and two assists so far is not too bad in terms of statistics, it has been unconvincing aside from a four-game run where he scored in each outing and there was also an injury thrown in there which played a part in thwarting a reunion between Kylian and his brother Ethan when Lille OSC surprisingly beat Real in the UEFA Champions League. There is hope that Mbappe will get back to his best at some point but there is no guarantee that it happens this calendar year.

France malaise

The former PSG and AS Monaco man is captaining this French side at a difficult moment with the team playing poorly on the field and limping through the Nations League having made it to the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinals despite playing some atrocious defense-minded soccer. Deschamps is clinging to power as head coach and former key man Antoine Griezmann has retired having been Mbappe’s main rival for the captain’s armband post-2022 World Cup in Qatar when the likes of Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane stepped aside. No longer viewed as the savior of French soccer as he is currently unable to replicate the heights of his performances up until 2023 both at club and international level, his stock has unsurprisingly tumbled.

“I know that things will bounce back but I will not tell you more than that for the simple reason that we have this international break with two games coming up,” added Deschamps who opted against replacing PSG’s Ousmane Dembele with Mbappe by favoring Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman instead. “I have us set on a course which I am sticking to and it includes giving playing time to youngsters with less experience who were satisfying last time out. We must not forget that there is a dynamic at play and we are on three consecutive wins with a place in the final eight and first place to play for.”

Modern soccer strains

Mbappe, like so many other players, has struggled to maintain his impressive form with club and country since arguably the 2022 World Cup when his late heroics almost singlehandedly prevented then-PSG teammate Lionel Messi and Argentina from being crowned champions. Publicly, the Frenchman has welcomed the increased frequency of games and unsustainably high physical demands placed on players these days but the reality of his performances internationally and domestically illustrate a player struggling to keep up with the demands placed on him by Deschamps but also Carlo Ancelotti.

PSG and off-the-field issues

A further distraction for Mbappe to contend with is the fact that his time with PSG is not quite behind him just yet with a dispute over contractual bonus monies getting messier and more acrimonious. It is not just that the reported sums of money in play are mind-boggling but it has tarnished the reputation that the player was hopping to leave intact when he departed his homeland which currently appears to be deteriorating further with the current situation with Les Bleus and Deschamps in particular. On top of PSG, there are also a number of challenges to contend with which includes recent rape allegations in Sweden which is just part of his plummeting popular opinion and the fact that he has gone from being championed as a future multi-Ballon d’Or winner to struggling to even make the podium in this last edition which Real teammate Vinicius Junior had been expected to win which promoted Real and Mbappe to skip the ceremony.

“I repeat that it is my decision because it is better this way,” emphasized Deschamps when pressed on the issue of Mbappe. “I can understand that it might not be enough for you (the press) but I am not getting into arguments that lead to interpretations. There it is, I do not want to tell you anything further. I take responsibility for the decision and we discussed it. I am not going to get into it — I speak directly with Kylian. We might not agree on certain topics but it is my responsibility to make decisions and I made that one for this break.”

Can Mbappe rebound in 2025?

Realistically, Mbappe and France’s current distancing from each other is unlikely to continue into 2025 with qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup starting up for UEFA nations plus a probable Nations League knockout phase outing. Gone are the days of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic seemingly picking and choosing his availability for international duty which is something that Mbappe’s brand image in his homeland can ill afford. The prospect of Zinedine Zidane coming in for France’s World Cup quest is unlikely given Deschamps’ seemingly bulletproof status which is further illustrated by this as well as the fact that Mbappe is playing much of his soccer outside of France at this time.