Mbappé declares himself in absentia: the decision that divides the French National Team

Kylian Mbappé has “decided not to take part in the planned photo session” on Tuesday with the French team after the federation’s refusal to “modify the convention” of the image rights of the players, the footballer made known this Monday in a statement transmitted to AFP.

Mbappé, in rebellion

The star of Les Bleus and Paris Saint-Germain “and his representatives (…) lstrongly regret that no agreement could, as requested, be reached before the World Cup” on this issue, which was already controversial in March.

In the different meetings, Mbappé’s advisers, in particular his lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, with the leaders of the FFF, had been able to “expose their position regarding the need to modify the convention that governs the conditions of use of his image” , adds the statement, and an agreement seemed to have been found in early June.

But the president of the FFF, Noël Le Graët, explained this Monday in L’Équipe that “nothing will change from here to the World Cup”.

With these statements “sending the negotiations until after the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé, faithful to his positions and as he had indicated to the FFF, therefore decided not to take part in the photo session scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday).”

This decision “obviously does not question his total commitment and his determination to contribute to the collective success of the national team for the important sporting events to come,” the statement concludes.

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AFP