Frank Leboeuf’s Bold Call: Replace Mbappe with Barcola for France’s Euro 2024 Run

Frank Leboeuf Suggests Deschamps Play Barcola Instead of Mbappe

One of France’s World Cup-winning players, Frank Leboeuf, has suggested to head coach Didier Deschamps that Bradley Barcola should play instead of Kylian Mbappe.

Real Madrid’s new signing Kylian Mbappe has failed to deliver the expected performance since breaking his nose in the first match of Euro 2024 against Austria, leading to disappointment. Playing with a face mask since that match, Mbappe admitted that the mask negatively affected his performance. He also stated that his legs are not fully ready and that he needs a good preparation period to be at 100% fitness. Despite all this, his inclusion in the starting eleven has sparked debates.

In the quarter-final match against Portugal, Mbappe was substituted shortly before the penalty shootout due to fatigue, raising doubts about whether he can deliver an effective performance in the semi-finals. This situation led former France defender and World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf to state that Mbappe is playing at half capacity and should be replaced by a fully fit player.

Leboeuf’s Statements

Speaking to Get French Football News, Leboeuf said, “If you are injured and cannot play at 100% capacity, if you are playing at 50%, you should not play. In this case, you are not serving France or yourself because you are being criticized and not playing at your best level. There is no point in playing Mbappe at 50% capacity. I think Bradley Barcola would be better.”

Deschamps faces a dilemma ahead of their match against Spain on Tuesday. On one hand, having Mbappe on the field provides a significant psychological boost for the team and poses a threat to opponents. However, his current form and physical condition may not justify his place in the starting eleven. Although Deschamps publicly supports Mbappe, the player’s physical condition and form may force him to reconsider his tactics.