Nobody doubts Kylian Mbappe’s quality; that much is clear. Jerome Rothen, formerly of Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, does doubt his attitude, however.
Mbappe had a well-publicised tiff with Olivier Giroud on the eve of Euro 2020, with Giroud alleging that his younger teammate didn’t pass to him with the same enthusiasm he did to Karim Benzema. Mbappe didn’t take kindly to that assertion, and hit back.
For Rothen, the incident is the sign of an ego that’s getting out of control. “He’s the leader on the pitch, no doubt,” he said to RMC in comments carried by Mundo Deportivo.
“But off the pitch, he annoys me. I think Didier Deschamps can’t handle him anymore and he’s troublesome. His ego is inordinate, and he’s been troublesome since the start of Euro 2020.”
Mbappe’s profile has risen stratospherically since France won the 2018 World Cup and he announced himself on the world stage. The Frenchman, alongside Neymar, leads PSG, but has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for years. His contract expires in the summer of 2022, meaning that this window is crucial.
France face Switzerland in the last 16 of Euro 2020 on Monday evening. They’ve enjoyed a strong, if unspectacular, start to their campaign; they beat Germany 1-0 before drawing 1-1 with Hungary and 2-2 with Portugal, finishing top of Group F. Mbappe’s yet to open his account.
