Why “nobody wants” Kylian Mbappé: “He drags you into shit”

Kylian Mbappé is once again under fire after France’s crushing semifinal loss to Spain, with critics claiming the Real Madrid star brings offensive brilliance but offers little defensive commitment. “He’s the best we’ve got, but no one wants him anymore,” argued sports broadcaster Gilbert Brisbois in a heated debate now gripping the country.

The 5–4 thriller that sent Spain to the final has reopened old wounds about Mbappé’s role with Les Bleus. Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory, just months after he left for Real Madrid days later, and France’s loss mean the star forward now finds himself in the crosshairs again. The central question dividing fans and pundits alike: can Les Bleus afford to build around a player who seems to skip defensive duties?

The arguments for and against Kylian Mbappé

Former PSG left back Grégory Paisley didn’t mince words on After Foot, a show on RMC: “It’s hard to bench Mbappé. You know he can change the game at any second. But here’s the thing - when you’ve got a weapon that powerful, it kind of drags you into shit as a team. Managing that is insanely tough.”

Gilbert Brisbois, however, came to Mbappé’s defense: “He’s the best player in France. He just won the Golden Boot. He’s had an incredible season, yet somehow, nobody wants him here anymore? Did we give up five goals because of Mbappé? The guy’s a world-class forward. He scores, wins a penalty, converts it… and all anyone sees is, ‘He doesn’t defend.’ How do you justify putting a player like that on the bench?”

“Like Michael Jordan, you have to defend”

But, clearly, not everyone is on his side. Former striker Kevin Díaz echoed a sentiment gaining traction among French fans: “The individual can’t come before the collective. Sure, Mbappé is one of the best forwards in the world and technically the Golden Boot winner - but for me, the real Golden Boot is Gyökeres. He scored more goals.”

“Look at PSG - three French guys (Doué, Barcola, Dembélé) who attack and defend together. That’s how it’s done. Watch the Luis Enrique documentary. He tells Mbappé: ‘You like Michael Jordan? Well, Jordan was also Defensive Player of the Year. If you want to win, you have to attack and defend.’ That’s the message.”

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