France’s head coach, Didier Deschamps, remains confident in Kylian Mbappe’s ability to rediscover his best form, despite recent struggles. The 25-year-old Real Madrid forward, who joined the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain, has been working to regain full fitness after a difficult Euro 2024 campaign and a broken nose sustained against Austria. Deschamps believes that Mbappe’s form will improve as he returns to full fitness.
After France suffered a 3-1 defeat to Italy in their Nations League opener in Paris, Deschamps opted for a revised lineup in their next match, a 2-0 victory against Belgium. Both Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann started the game on the bench, with Deschamps focusing on giving other players a chance to prove themselves. Despite not starting, Mbappe’s appearance as a substitute in the 67th minute injected some much-needed energy into the team. He was close to scoring, narrowly missing from a tight angle in the 80th minute and forcing a save in the 86th minute.
Deschamps made it clear that he is unconcerned about Mbappe’s recent lack of goals, expressing full confidence that the forward will regain his scoring touch in time. “The French team will always be stronger with him, and I’m convinced that in a month he will be better,” Deschamps said. He attributed Mbappe’s current form to the high physical demands at his new club and is certain that the forward will soon be performing at his best again. “I have no worries with Kylian,” Deschamps reiterated, downplaying any concerns about his star player’s recent performances.
73' Lancé par Dembélé, Mbappé se présente face au gardien mais c'est le Belge qui remporte son duel !
🇫🇷2-0🇧🇪 | #FRABEL | #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/HfCZcE0QL8
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) September 9, 2024
Mbappe’s struggles at Euro 2024 were a focal point of criticism, especially after he failed to score in the first four games for Real Madrid following his transfer. Despite this, Deschamps believes that with time and fitness, Mbappe will once again become a central figure for both his club and country.
In the meantime, Deschamps is using the Nations League as an opportunity to broaden France’s talent pool. The match against Italy saw Michael Olise and Manu Kone earn their first international caps, while Lucas Digne returned to the squad for the first time in over two years in the game against Belgium. Matteo Guendouzi also made his return to the team, contributing to Deschamps’ goal of testing new players in different scenarios.
Deschamps is fully aware that these changes may not always yield immediate results on the field but insists that this is a necessary process to ensure the future success of the team. “I’m sticking to my course, to put as many players as possible in situations where we can test them,” he explained. “It is the time to do that, even if you lose games. You don’t replace players with 50 caps by snapping your fingers.”
The coach acknowledged that his experimentation with the lineup may have affected the team’s overall performance, but he remains undeterred in his approach. “I’m well aware that I am not putting the team in the best conditions,” Deschamps admitted. “But we have to go through it. It gives us answers.”
As France navigates the Nations League and prepares for future international competitions, Deschamps is focused on the long-term development of the squad. His emphasis on integrating new talent and testing players in different roles is part of a broader strategy to build a more resilient and versatile team. Despite recent setbacks, Deschamps remains optimistic about the future, confident that players like Mbappe will return to their best, and new talents will rise to the occasion.
