It is Mbappé’s France, without mask and with mask. Nor is it, for now, the Euro Cup of the new player Real Madrid. Your stressful year in PSGwithout a preparation according to his demands, and his injury in the first game against Austria, a forward is very far from what he showed in the World Cups and in his own club all these years.
But Mbappé is not touched and his place in the eleven is not threatened. Ultimately, he decides, as was reflected in the extra time against Portugal. Kylian did not have his night, perhaps it was the most complicated for him since the tournament started because he almost always crashed against the Portuguese defense, but it was he who told the coach at half-time that he could not take it anymore and that he was leaving his position for a buddy.
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For the match against Spain, it will also be Mbappé who decides. He has already made it clear in the press room that for his time in Madrid he will have enough time to prepare better and be at his best. It is evident that he does not feel at his best, but he does feel strong enough to play and help the team.
Deschamps decided to entrust himself to Mbappé some time ago, since he made the decision after the departure of Lloris and Varane to give him the captaincy ahead of Giroud o Griezmann. He is, in short, the Christian of Portugal. In this Euro you only have to see the details in each training session. The coach shows his complicity with the star both in private and in public and from the first day the feeling that he is looking for the best eleven that adapts to the captain’s current conditions. He has given him absolute freedom and has moved the rest of the pieces without stopping and even with different systems.
The message to the midfield
The debate reached its climax in one of Mbappé’s last press conferences in which they insisted on the reason why andHe doesn’t play as deep nor can we see his gallops from the 2018 World Cup that destroyed Argentina. Kylian attributes this to part of the evolution in his game, but also to the change in the midfield. “A forward always has to adapt to each situation, to his teammates and to his characteristics. Many people refer to how we played when I joined the national team. But we had different players. For example, in midfield we had Paul Pogba. With it, all you have to do is lower your head, run, take a break and you know that the ball is going to reach your foot…”, commented the captain.
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France’s 10 continues with the same argument: “For a striker, You have to analyze what type of player you have and try to put him in the best conditions. With the players I have, maybe we can play less deep, because it is less characteristic of them to send you deep balls. But if there are spaces, I love to devour them.”
Some statements that, according to L’Équipe today, not all of his midfield teammates have applauded. But Mbappé’s leadership role in the group is indisputable. He has been seen again in the most important moments against Portugal, speaking to his teammates before shooting and encouraging them, or how he went almost one by one at the end of the game to congratulate them after qualifying.
The same Mbappé against Spain?
“Immunity floats above Mbappé,” The French newspaper headlines today to explain that against Spain there is no debate about the ownership of the new Real Madrid player. Against Spain, the question then is how to best surround the French number 10. Everything indicates that the Kylian who is ending his most complicated year will not differ much from the one who appeared in the Euros. Although he starts on the left, the coach has freed him from many defensive efforts, and when the team retreats it usually occupies the position of 9. In attack, it is free to appear from any side. Deschamps has populated the midfield with Tchouaméni and Kanté, in addition to a questioned Griezmann and Rabiot. As the tournament has progressed, the coach has increasingly given up opening the field to play without wingers. The problem is that, as was seen against Portugal, the danger came above all with the entry of Dembélé. Today’s training is key to clearing up doubts.
