France squad back Kylian Mbappe following far-right political backlash
The France national squad are privately backing captain Kylian Mbappe after his recent political comments regarding the far-right triggered a significant backlash.
The Real Madrid forward recently expressed deep concerns about the severe consequences of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party winning upcoming elections in his homeland.
Those remarks prompted immediate retaliation from prominent political figures, who suggested the elite attacker should focus solely on his sporting career.
Political figures mock international captain
Party president Jordan Bardella took to social media to mock the former Paris St-Germain star, pointing to the French club’s recent Champions League progress since his departure.
I know what happens when Kylian Mbappé leaves PSG: the club wins the Champions League!
Le Pen also dismissed the political influence of the World Cup winner, stating that football fans are entirely capable of making independent voting decisions.
Meanwhile, party spokesperson Julien Odoul publicly demanded that the prolific goalscorer must refrain from acting as a political activist.
Teammates stand by their leader
The rising political tension has led to scattered public calls for manager Didier Deschamps to strip his star player of the armband ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
However, reports from French journalist Fabrice Hawkins indicate that the vast majority of the national squad firmly agree with their skipper’s stance.
Like it or not, KM said out loud what the vast, vast majority of players on the French national team think.
This unified dressing room support ensures the lightning-fast striker will retain his leadership role as Les Bleus prepare for their vital international campaign.
The French superstar, who boasts Cameroonian and Algerian heritage, has consistently used his massive global platform to speak out on important social issues.
His impressive domestic campaign, yielding 41 goals across all competitions, has already cemented his status as a crucial figure for the national side.