"Like if Argentina turned on Lionel Messi"- Louis Saha speaks up on Kylian Mbappe's potential rift with French national team amid retirement rumors
Former France international Louis Saha has compared Kylian Mbappe's situation with the national team to Lionel Messi. He believes Mbappe is as important to Les Blues as Messi is to Argentina.
Saha also backed Didier Deschamps' decision to keep the Real Madrid forward away from the national team. He thinks it will benefit Mbappe in the long term.
Discussing Mbappe's current situation with the France national team, Saha told Boyle Sports:
“Things are very strange between Kylian Mbappe and the France national team, he has fought with the federation in the past and has been like a politician at times. What is happening between them is really sad, it’s like if Argentina turned on Lionel Messi. Mbappe has an issue with Didier Deschamps but it isn’t a bad thing for him to take a rest, the issue will come if he decides to step back from the national team going forward.”
He believes the Real Madrid forward should not retire from national duty. He also urged the attacker to prove his doubters wrong, adding:
“If Kylian Mbappe steps away from the national team it will be a disaster. That’s how bad the situation is. At some point he does need to take some responsibility and realise that he isn’t playing the way he can and isn’t scoring the amount of goals he can. It’s now up to him to prove people wrong and prove he is the player Real Madrid signed. It’s all down to him now but it will take time because the task is enormous.”
Kylian Mbappe has been in a tough spot and under pressure at Real Madrid after joining them in the summer. He has scored eight and assisted two goals for Los Blancos so far.
Didier Deschamps admits he left out Kylian Mbappe to protect him
Didier Deschamps has admitted that Kylian Mbappe wanted to join the national side this week for their UEFA Nations League matches. However, he opted to leave out the star player as he needed to be away from the limelight.
He told the media:
"It's a fact that he is in a difficult situation. He is obviously going through a period that is not the happiest of his career. He wanted to come. But I think it's better for him (not to be selected) at this moment. Everyone can go through a difficult period. There is a physical element and a psychological element."