Kylian Mbappe Faces Criticism for Skipping France Matches While Playing for Real Madrid

France national team captain Kylian Mbappe is facing backlash in his home country after opting out of Les Bleus’ UEFA Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium despite being fit to play for his club, Real Madrid. The star forward, who sustained a muscle injury last month, returned to the field in Real’s Champions League match last Wednesday and later started in the La Liga game against Villarreal on Saturday.

France coach Didier Deschamps excluded Mbappe from the squad announced on Thursday, citing the player’s lack of preparation due to limited match appearances since his injury. However, Mbappe’s quick return to action with Real Madrid has sparked debate in France, with some questioning his commitment to the national team.

Former French international Maxime Bossis voiced his concerns in an interview with L’Equipe, saying, “Either you’re injured, and you don’t play with your club and you’re not called up in the national team. But when you come off the bench in the Champions League and start a league game, it makes things fuzzy.”

Mbappe’s situation is further complicated by his role as France’s captain, a position he inherited from Antoine Griezmann earlier this year. Griezmann, who recently announced his retirement from international football, had a reputation for his dedication, having played 84 consecutive matches for France between 2017 and 2024. His commitment contrasts with the current controversy surrounding Mbappe.

Fabien Bonnet, spokesperson for the French supporters’ group Irresistibles Francais, criticized Mbappe’s actions, saying, “As a captain, he must be an example for the fans, and he has not been. What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone.”

France, currently second in Group A of the Nations League, will play Israel in Budapest on Thursday and travel to Belgium next Monday. With Mbappe absent, attention turns to how Les Bleus will fare without their star forward and how this controversy may affect his leadership within the team.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s forward Ferran Torres has been ruled out indefinitely after suffering a hamstring injury in his right thigh. The 24-year-old picked up the injury in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory against Deportivo Alaves on Sunday, just five minutes into the game. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed that Torres will miss the national team’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Denmark and Serbia, with reports suggesting he could be sidelined for six to eight weeks.