The Spanish newspaper "AS" revealed the reason behind Kylian Mbappé's absence from the last four press conferences he was supposed to attend as the captain of the French national team. Mbappé's absence has sparked controversy, especially since the press conference he attended on June 15 was just three days after informing Paris Saint-Germain of his intention not to renew his contract until 2025. This conference focused solely on a message from Mbappé to the leaders of Paris Saint-Germain, discussing only his future. He confirmed at that time that he only wanted to complete his contract at "Parc des Princes," which ends in June 2024.
The main reason for Mbappé's silence is that, as explained by those close to him, he does not want to hurt the interests of the French national team during the qualifiers for the UEFA Euro 2024. If he were to appear, discussions would likely revolve around his future. Mbappé is aware that if he participated in press conferences, the focus would shift to his future and contract renewal with Paris Saint-Germain, rather than matters related to the national team.
Despite the controversy surrounding Mbappé's absence from press conferences in France, there is consensus within the entire team and coach Didier Deschamps regarding his character as a leader, as well as an implicit agreement on press conferences for all players. Mbappé's future will remain unclear until January, when he will be free to negotiate with any team of his choice. French media expect a similar outcome to what occurred in 2021, where he will delay until the last moment before announcing his final decision.
