France head coach Didier Deschamps has pointed to both physical and psychological reasons behind Kylian Mbappé’s recent struggles in form according to ESPN.
Following France’s 0-0 draw against Israel in the Nations League, Deschamps said Mbappé is enduring one of the more challenging periods of his career. “He is in a difficult situation,” Deschamps told broadcaster TF1. “This is not the happiest moment for him.”
Mbappé was not included in the squad for games against Israel and Italy. “He wanted to play, but I think it’s better for him not to be selected right now,” Deschamps said. “Everyone goes through tough times. This is both physical and psychological.”
Recently transferred to Real Madrid from PSG, Mbappé has struggled to make an impact, scoring just one goal in his last seven club games and failing to add to his 48 goals for France since June.
The pressure on Mbappé has been immense, exacerbated by unfounded allegations in Swedish media, which his representatives have dismissed as “false and irresponsible.”
Despite the lackluster draw, France secured second place in Group A2 of the Nations League with 10 points from five matches. “We should have done better,” Deschamps said. “We had opportunities, but we lacked efficiency.”
France’s next match is against Italy in Milan at the San Siro on Sunday. Deschamps hinted at possible lineup changes, noting the need to assess players’ fitness levels during the final training session on Saturday.
