Kylian Mbappé’s absence from France’s match against Azerbaijan (he will undergo tests in Madrid due to ankle inflammation) has reignited debate in the country. The striker’s brace against Ukraine ensured their place in the World Cup, but his absence has not gone unnoticed.
Former national team member Jerome Wroten analyzed the situation most forcefully. He recalled that during the 4-0 win over Ukraine, many were already wondering who was the one “manufacturing unpleasantness” to avoid going to Baku. He continued: “Mbappe is the captain and of course he gets special treatment. But there are other players who play the same number of games throughout the year. They’re not tired and don’t want to miss games that don’t matter, right? They go because they have to.”
He added: “Is he getting such special treatment? When he’s eligible, all is well, but when the going gets tough…making decisions like that can cause problems in the dressing room. I’m still convinced that there are players who are fed up with this preferential treatment.”
Rosen warned that these privileges could blow up the dressing room when things don’t go well. “No one says anything while you’re winning. But when things start to go wrong, decisions like that take their toll. I think there are still players who are fed up with all of this.”
At the other end of the spectrum was Emmanuel Petit, who urged people not to exaggerate the issue. For him, it’s the media noise about the most determined player in the country. “They want to create a scandal out of nothing. Some people may be upset, but we’re talking about a French national team coach who has already reached 400 career goals with seven goals and five assists in his last six games. There’s always been preferential treatment. And if I were a player, I wouldn’t care. We’re talking about a guy who wins games on his own.”
