Didier Deschamps temporarily dismisses a falling Kylian Mbappé – Libération

A major date in the history of the Blues: the French captain, Kylian Mbappé, superstar of the France team since his birth at international level in 2017, was removed this Thursday, November 7 by the coach, Didier Deschamps, from the list of the 23 players called to play the two Nations League matches against the Israeli (Thursday November 14 in Saint-Denis) and Italian (Sunday November 17 in Milan) selections.

The context in brief: in free fall sportingly for nine months and the formalization of his departure from Paris-SG, the player was reported missing during the last rally, which he spent in Stockholm where his name was mentioned by the Swedish press in an investigation opened for rape. “Kylian is not injured, Deschamps explained to journalists gathered at the headquarters of the French Football Federation. I had several discussions with him, we didn’t agree on everything. I thought about it and made this decision for this gathering, that is to say punctually. I think it’s better that way.” Stunned, the audience constantly put Deschamps on the defensive, determined not to say more than he intended to let out and extremely cautious in the choice of even the slightest word.

“It’s better like this”

“I will add two things, however, he clarified. One: the player wanted to come. And two: there are no extra-sporting considerations on this [allusion à l’affaire du viol de Stockholm, ndlr] because the presumption of innocence exists and must exist.” Mbappé not being officially accused of anything at this stage by anyone, the coach still wets him. Then : “I’m not going to say more. There is a framework to which I remain attached, playing time to distribute. It’s MY decision, he insists. And I think it’s better that way.” For him or for the Blues, did a journalist ask? “It’s better this way,” Deschamps replied.

On the nature of the disagreements between him and the player, the French coach concluded: “I didn’t talk about disagreement; I said we hadn’t agreed on everything, that’s different.” It was time for it to end. In a response perhaps not so neutral, when he was asked if the absence of their captain would not affect, in one way or another, teammates who do not hide, for some at least, a certain admiration towards the Bondynois: “You say things, it’s up to you, but they can be true, false, more or less verified… Kylian is not with us, and he was already not with us at the last gathering.” If it is not easy to break through the coach’s rhetorical defense line, it is still quite clear on certain points.

Bowl of soup and game of Uno

The theory of protecting a player who has been suspected of having psychological difficulties for months seems difficult to hold up. It is an understatement to say that Deschamps did not strike an empathetic note on Thursday. Inseparable until now, the lifelines of the France team and its star striker are now separated, each making their life in their own corner. And if Mbappé had taken the initiative in October, this time it was Deschamps who cut the line, a way of regaining control and making the player pay for the distance he had deemed useful to put between himself and the Blues. The restoration of an authority, but not only that. From Olivier Giroud to Antoine Griezmann, via Samuel Umtiti and even Karim Benzema before the blackmail affair which involved him in 2015, Deschamps has in the past always supported the players on whom he counted, especially if they were at low tide: there is always a bowl of soup and a game of Uno waiting for you in Clairefontaine. But everyone, at some point, was still presented with the note.

And this sidelining looks like it. If Deschamps mentioned (without insisting too much) the ephemeral nature of the sidelining of his star, he nonetheless opened up the field of possibilities. And they do not all combine with the presence of the Madrid striker among the Blues.