Didier Deschamps, the manager of the French national team, has made the surprising decision not to call up Kylian Mbappé for the upcoming Nations League matches against Israel and Italy. This choice has sparked widespread debate and speculation, as Mbappé is usually a key player for Les Bleus.

Deschamps mentioned that Mbappé’s omission is a “specific decision” and noted that the player had expressed a desire to join the team. However, he did not provide specific reasons for not selecting him, leaving open whether it relates to an injury or recent performance issues.

This marks the second consecutive instance where Mbappé has been left out of the national squad; previously, he was not called up due to physical issues and controversially traveled to Stockholm during the break, which drew criticism back home.

Mbappé’s season with Real Madrid has been mixed, having scored seven goals in La Liga but failing to leave a mark in significant matches against teams like Barcelona and Milan.