A Mbappé Problem in the French National Team?

There might be tension brewing within the French national team: Kylian Mbappé is reportedly not the team player the staff had hoped for.

The captain of *Les Bleus* in turmoil? According to *L’Équipe*, things aren’t going so well for Kylian Mbappé, even in the national squad. The September training camp has reportedly left some scars.

First, Mike Maignan’s outburst following the loss to Italy. Maignan is said to have criticized the behavior of certain stars without naming them. While Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann stayed silent, the real target was Mbappé, according to *L’Équipe*.

At Clairefontaine, Mbappé reportedly appeared distant and less involved compared to his earlier captaincy days, though he still mentored the new arrivals. His discreet and nonchalant behavior was noted by Didier Deschamps’ staff.

Kanté Made Captain to Avoid Offending Mbappé

Mbappé also criticized the lack of tactical sessions and team training, described as “thinly veiled criticisms” aimed at Deschamps’ staff, according to *L’Équipe*.

To avoid upsetting Mbappé, Deschamps reportedly handed the captain’s armband to N’Golo Kanté instead of Mike Maignan. This situation will be closely monitored in October to assess whether it develops into another « Mbappé problem » for the national team.