It would be in France’s best interests to drop star player Kylian Mbappe for the Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain, Frank Leboeuf has suggested.
France take on Spain in Munich on Tuesday night with a place in the Euros final, against either England or the Netherlands, at stake.
Though they were one of the pre-tournament favourites, Les Bleus have looked woefully off the pace in Germany, scoring just three goals in five games and even then they were two own goals and a penalty.
Their offensive issues can be partly attributed to captain Mbappe who hasn’t looked himself since breaking his nose in the opening game against Austria.
He has soldiered on with a face mask since, but it’s clear the prolific forward is struggling to play through the injury and was even subbed off in the quarter-final against Portugal despite penalties only being minutes away.
Manager Didier Deschamps explained that the 25-year-old was too tired to continue, something the player echoed later on, and former Chelsea defender Leboeuf believes that unfortunately Mbappe cannot be trusted to start the all-important semi-final.
‘He’s been struggling for a while. Because of his injury he has an excuse but before that he was struggling with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League,’ the French World Cup and Euros winner told ESPN.
‘So, it’s not the Mbappe that we have seen. Because of his injury, I think he is not capable of playing at the top level. Whether he should play or not [is not my decision].
‘For the best of everybody, right now he shouldn’t play. It is a big statement.
‘He’s not at 100 per cent, he’s maybe at 50, 60 per cent of his possibility because of the mask, because of his injury and everything.
‘It’s not the Mbappe that we were expecting, so therefore for me, for him and for the national team he shouldn’t play because he doesn’t serve the country and the team like he should do and it’s not even his fault.
‘He’s injured, he has a broken nose, he has a problem with the mask, he shouldn’t play. I think it’s a breathing issue on top of a vision issue.
‘I have nothing against Mbappe, 100 per cent he should play [if fit]. I’m the first fan and I have been criticised by people who say “stop defending Mbappe”.
‘I really love the player, he’s a fantastic player but you cannot play right now.’
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