Former FFF president sends message to Kylian Mbappé | OneFootball

French captain Kylian Mbappé (26) is being urged to stay patient amid a difficult time for him internationally.

Noël Le Graët recently chatted with the Real Madrid striker, who manager Didier Deschamps dropped for the national team’s last four matches at the UEFA Nations League, with speculation that he may be stripped of the French armband as well.

Le Parisien revealed this week that the former president of the Fédération de Football Français (FFF) met with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner in Guingamps, offering him some words of inspiration.

“ I told him do not give up on Les Bleus,” says Le Graët.

Afterwards, the two men posed for a photo together ahead of Mbappé’s UEFA Champions League clash for Real Madrid against Stade Brestois 29 on Wednesday.

The two had seemingly been at odds ever since Le Graët responded to a question about Zinedine Zidane being pegged as the new French manager following the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup. “Wouldn’t even take his call,” Le Graët said. That response was not well received by Mbappé, who called the comments disrespectful.

Le Graët resigned as FFF president in February 2023, less than two weeks amid allegations of sexual harassment of a female football agent.

Zizou, meanwhile, is the frontrunner to replace Deschamps as French manager when the 2026 World Cup comes to an end.

Earlier this season, Zidane spoke with Mbappé, who was going through a difficult start to his first season with Los Blancos.

The French striker has responded well, scoring eight goals in his last seven competitive games, and Madrid is back in first place in La Liga, with four points clear of arch-rivals Atlético Madrid.

France don’t play again until March when they face Croatia in a two-leg quarter-final tie at the Nations League.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre