Ibrahima Konate Defends Kylian Mbappe Amid France Squad Controversy

Ibrahima Konate, a defender for Liverpool, has defended his French teammate Kylian Mbappe after head coach Didier Deschamps suddenly left the Real Madrid star out of France’s squad for this month’s international matches.

After withdrawing from the team last month due to an injury, Mbappe found himself in the spotlight. However, the French media caused a fuss when he was spotted on a brief vacation in Sweden. Konate has admitted that it can be difficult to deal with Mbappe’s continuous media attention.

Konate’s Perspective

Speaking to Canal+, Konate shared his empathy for Mbappe:

“When he is with us, everyone is around him. Mbappe’s position in today’s world is exceptional. I often tell him: ‘I want your level of football, but I don’t want your life,’ because it’s difficult to bear having your name everywhere, for everything you do.”

Konate emphasized the impact Mbappe has had on the French team and noted that it’s up to the current players to step up in his absence.

“We know the qualities he has, and we should not be ungrateful for what he has brought to this team. It’s the coach who makes the decisions. I have no say in it.”