Mbappé and Zidane have a tense relationship with France

According to L'Equipe, the relationship between Zinedine Zidane and Kylian Mbappé has not started well in the French national team. The root is the last international window, when the new coach, who replaced Deschamps after the World Cup in the United States, moved the Real Madrid forward to the left wing and gave the centre-forward role to Ousmane Dembélé. Mbappé saw it as a lack of respect, having finished the tournament as its top scorer.

The tension also extends to Dembélé: their relationship is very cold and at the Ballon d'Or they barely greeted each other. Mbappé also skipped Wednesday's training with the group and worked out in the gym at Clairefontaine, something some interpret as an attempt to distance himself because of some discomfort.

Zidane confirmed at a press conference that Mbappé will not play the first match against Italy because of that discomfort, although he hopes to have him for the second game, against Turkey. Dembélé is injured and has not been called up, so the central striker spot would go to Mbappé.