Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has said he is bearing in mind to take a break from the French national team at just 22 years of age.
In the summer, Mbappe endured a disappointing Euro 2020 campaign and missed the decisive spot-kick in the shock round of 16 penalty shoot-out defeat to Switzerland.
He became embroiled in a feud with teammate Olivier Giroud, who said that certain individuals were not passing to him going into France’s opener against Germany.
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A furious Mbappe took issue with the comments and wanted to stage a press conference to respond to the comments.
There were a slew of reports claiming Mbappe’s ego was having a negative effect on the national team and now, in a remarkable tell-all interview, the 22-year-old has admitted he is contemplating going on a hiatus from Les Bleus.
“I have always placed the French national team above everything and I will always put it above everything,” he told L’Equipe, as per Get French Football News.
“I have never taken a single Euro to play for the French national team and I will always play for my national team for free. Above all, I never wanted to be the problem.
“But from the moment where I felt like that I was starting to become a problem and that people felt I was a problem… “The most important thing is the French national team and if the French national team is happier without me, it is like that.”
“The most important thing is the French national team and if the French national team is happier without me, it is like that.”
It came in a game where France were 3-1 up in the 80th minute, only to collapse and see the Swiss strike twice in dramatic fashion.
The failure to convert led to a barrage of abuse for Mbappe, including racial slurs.
Mbappe added: “I have so much love for the French national team that I abstract from it all. What shocked me, again, was being called a monkey for the penalty. That is what I wanted support around, not because I took my penalty to the left and Sommer stopped it: that, that is on me, that is my foot that did that.
“I was booed in all of the stadiums in France (laughs). Aside from that, there was not just that, there was also the transfer, but the reality is that I was booed in all the stadiums yes.”
However, Mbappe says he has no issue with Giroud and would be happy to see the AC Milan striker return to the national fold and break Thierry Henry’s goalscoring record.
“It dragged on, because people dragged it on,” Mbappe continued, explaining how the bust-up became a huge talking point.
“I am going to tell you the truth: that night, I was enraged, but two days later, I was not thinking about it anymore. I had it out with him, I told him what I had to say, and afterwards it was over. Certainly it dragged on in terms of the media, people, there was always this shadow over the head of the team, but it was not a problem for us.
“I had a difference of opinion, yes that played out in public because it began in public.
“Because it started in public, it had to end in public, it is simple. But I do not have any problem with him, I wish him the best, I see that he has started well with Milan.
“If he comes back to the French national team, I will welcome him with open arms. He was very close to breaking Thierry Henry’s record, it would be a shame if he was not given this possibility.” [SportsBible]
