A pout that says it all and the laughter from the audience, like a well-practiced little game between a player whose slightest media appearance is an event and journalists who try it, sometimes only because of a misunderstanding… Present at the conference of press this Friday for the first time since last June, Kylian Mbappé knew very well the mix of genres that awaited him. If he was there as captain of the France team, it is his news at PSG that is the most interesting. Put on the shelf during the summer before mending with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the striker has not yet revealed his intentions for the future, as he reaches the end of his contract next June.
When the question was asked head-on, Kyky enjoyed it. “This is absolutely not the news of the France team, I am here as captain of the Blues and I would like to remain so for the next 10 days,” he said. If this question is important to you, you must come to the Campus [le nouveau centre d’entraînement du PSG], you will ask it and I will answer it… if I am called to come to a press conference. » That’s where everyone had a good laugh, and the person concerned internally too, we imagine. Because it’s not likely to be the day before tomorrow, obviously.
Also questioned about his silence at the start of the season, Mbappé defended the idea of shared leadership in the France team. “Due to Antoine’s role and his experience, I am not his supervisor. I did the first three conferences, he did the next three, then we opened the door to new leaders, like Mike (Maignan) or Aurélien (Tchouaméni). There the coach told me to come back, and I do what he tells me. »
Nothing to do, therefore, with a fear – or annoyance – of having to answer a few embarrassing questions. “I have never been someone who hides or is afraid of something, I have always assumed responsibility. I’m not afraid to come here, it’s just that the France team is not my team, it doesn’t belong to anyone. » We can grant him that one, the Parisian is the type gifted when dealing with the media and always manages to find a solution, whatever happens. He had also prepared this one well, since he supported his remarks with a precise count of the questions that were asked to him the last time: nine on PSG, one on the Olympics, one on Gibraltar, “because that I asked for it.” Touch.
PSG vs Bleus, two rooms two atmospheres (tactical)
In the journalists’ defense, he had just sent his famous letter to the Parisian leaders, in which he announced his intention not to extend his contract. We are not going to talk about the Gibraltarian heating engineers for 15 minutes, and the same for this Friday, while the Blues are already qualified for Euro 2024. By the way, if Mbappé wants to be questioned more about the France team, he can also come before a high-stakes match.
There was still talk of the Blues in this Nice conference, of the profile he prefers to have at his side on the attacking front, of the repositioning of Marcus Thuram, of the first steps of Warren Zaire-Emery. His different role from PSG, too. On this subject, Mbappé was willing to be talkative:
“I am a different player because they are not the same teams, there are two different playing philosophies, on the one hand PSG with a coach who has the will to play in the opposing camp, to have the ball, to always think of ourselves by considering that it is the adversary who must adapt. On the other side we have another approach, we always adapt to our opponent, that’s the key word for each match. I like it, it allows me to broaden my palette, to be more complete, and it doesn’t impact my performance because I score with both teams. I can adapt to all patterns. I have every interest in listening to these two great coaches because they will help me become even better than I am today. »
This was the Mbappé in love with football, with the game, and draped in all the humility in the world. Repeatedly, he reiterated that he was there to listen and that all he cared about was the field. “I told Luis Enrique at the start of the season, he will have no problem with me. » In any case, everything that can be said about him does not affect him, I swear. “It’s not something that weighs on me. I think that on the field, I have always had things to bear outside but when I am on the field I leave the rest outside. The most important thing for me is to play. »