“He’s a special player,” Deschamps hails Mbappé but leaves him out of France squad

• Kylian Mbappé criticised for missing France's Nations League games while playing for Real Madrid
• France coach Didier Deschamps left Mbappé out of the national team due to lack of match preparation
• France will face Israel and Belgium in their upcoming Nations League matches

Kylian Mbappé, captain of the French national team, is under fire for prioritising his club commitments with Real Madrid while missing France's Nations League fixtures. 

The 25-year-old forward, who had been sidelined with a muscle injury, returned to action during Real Madrid's Champions League defeat to Lille last Wednesday. 

However, despite his appearance for Madrid, France coach Didier Deschamps chose to omit him from the squad, citing a lack of match fitness and readiness.

Mbappé, who started Real Madrid’s La Liga win against Villarreal, was substituted after 71 minutes. The decision to play for his club while just recovering from injury and as a result, missing national team duty raised questions about his role as captain, with former France international Maxime Bossis adding fuel to the debate by saying, 

“Either you’re injured, and you don’t play with your club and you’re not called up in the national team.”

Further complicating matters is the fact that Mbappé was handed the captaincy earlier this year, replacing Antoine Griezmann, who recently retired from international football. Griezmann, known for his unwavering dedication, played 84 consecutive matches for France between 2017 and 2024, a streak unmatched in Les Bleus' history.

Fabien Bonnet, a spokesperson for the French supporters' group Irresistibles Francais, weighed in, saying, 

“As a captain, [Mbappé] must be an example for the fans, and he has not been. What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone.” 

Bonnet expressed his concerns that Griezmann, rather than Mbappé, should still be wearing the captain’s armband if not for retirement.

Patrice Evra, a former France defender, also criticised the decision to make Mbappé captain, telling RMC Sport, 

“You gave him the keys to PSG, you gave him the keys to the French national team, but Mbappé is still a young player. I would never have given it to Mbappé. If we give him everything, will you want to make the effort?”

With France set to face Israel and Belgium in upcoming Nations League games, Deschamps may be considering a change in leadership. Reports suggest Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni or Arsenal's William Saliba could be in line to replace Mbappé as captain.

Madrid’s new boy Mbappé sets lofty goals after scoring on debut against Atalanta

Previously, TheRadar reported that Kylian Mbappé declared that there is "no limit" to the number of goals he and Real Madrid can score this season after starting his debut with a goal as the Spanish giants clinched the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 win over Atalanta. 

Mbappé, who arrived at Madrid on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, put pen to paper on a five-year deal, concluding a highly anticipated transfer saga.