Zinedine Zidane Addresses Rumors About His Relationship with Kylian Mbappe
Zinedine Zidane faces challenges beyond the pitch after stepping into the role of head coach for the French national team. Recently, questions arose regarding his relationship with star player Kylian Mbappe following reports that the player is unhappy with Zidane’s decision to keep him in the French camp despite an injury.
Mbappe had sought to return to Madrid immediately, with a private jet on standby, but Zidane preferred that he continue to stay with the national team, despite the setback.
In a recent press conference, Zidane responded to inquiries about Mbappe’s situation after maintaining that the Real Madrid forward would remain with the team. He remained tight-lipped about specifics, asserting that his relationship with Mbappe is strictly professional.
“I won’t get into this debate. Simply put, I have a coach-player relationship with him, and things are going perfectly well. The player works with me, so there’s no problem. But on the other hand, I can’t stop people from talking. That’s the situation,” Zidane stated (h/t Goal). He also expressed disappointment about circulating misinformation regarding their relationship.
“Of course, when I hear things being said here and there that aren’t true, it’s only natural to find that somewhat upsetting,” he added.
In the wake of his injury, Mbappe was absent from the France vs. Italy match, where the team suffered a surprising 3-1 loss. The French squad notably lacked the creativity and dynamic play typically supplied by the injured stars, including Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, leaving the front line underwhelming.
Looking ahead, Mbappe is set to miss the next match against Turkiye, with plans to return to Madrid shortly after the game. Despite the ongoing speculation, reports from sources in France indicate that there is no lingering animosity between Mbappe and Zidane, suggesting that the forward is looking forward to continuing his collaboration with the former Real Madrid coach during the next international break.
