Speaking to the French national team’s official media, Didier Deschamps was keen to settle the issue of Kylian Mbappe’s absence. However, the coach did leave an anecdotal phrase on the subject: “We must not forget that the employer is the club and not the Federation.”
The international break is once again bursting onto the football scene. Different players have already trained with their national teams, although, on this occasion, there is one player who has not gone and has raised more noise than usual. It is Kylian Mbappe, who was not called up with France so that he could recover 100%, although he ended up starting and playing 71 minutes against Villarreal with Madrid.
This raised a certain amount of buzz within Les Bleus and even led to criticism from some of France’s legends, such as Patrice Evra. However, coach Didier Deschamps himself, in an interview with France’s official media, was keen to play down the issue.
“Kylian, in any case, crystallises a lot of things about himself. It’s not to make a case for Kylian, today you have to look at it in a more general way,” he said. However, he made it clear that the club has the final word: “The interests of clubs and the interests of national teams necessarily diverge at some point, and we must not forget that the employer is the club, not the federation.”
“I make sure, because of the relationship I have with the players, that I talk to them. Obviously, the most important thing is the interest of the player, and I know very well that he will not go against his club and does not want to go against the national team.”
“You have to make sure you prioritise the player’s interests without putting him in trouble. Clubs have always resisted the idea of the player going to the national team and taking risks, and I am not here to take risks,” he added.
