Antoine Griezmann ‘nearly left’ France camp over Kylian Mbappe decision

Kylian Mbappe has been made the captain of the French national team following the departure of Hugo Lloris into retirement. Mbappe might be the star of Les Bleus, but it did not go down well with everyone.

According to a number of reports, including by Sport, Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann considered leaving the French side over the decision, considering it an oversight that he was not considered. With Raphael Varane also gone, Griezmann felt he was in line to take over the job.

Mbappe, eight years and 51 caps Griezmann’s junior has been handed the armband at the relatively young age of 24. While the Paris Saint-Germain forward is no doubt a leader in the French team, Griezmann has been in the side far longer, and is also an intergral part of Les Bleus. That much was demonstrated by his performance at the World Cup.

However Mbappe’s transcendental importance appears to have given him priority over Griezmann, regardless of their journeys up until this point.

As is the case with all global superstars, the power dynamics often prove tricky to handle once a player becomes far more valued than the others. Unless all of the other heavyweights in the dressing are unanimous in their support, it can cause problems.