Kylian Mbappé (25) has endured a difficult start to life both on and off the pitch at Real Madrid. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has been absent at international level, missing the last two international breaks, whilst Didier Deschamps stated that his captain wasn’t in the “best psychological conditions” when he was present during the international break in September. The reasons for his continued absence from Les Bleus’ set-up remain vague and come after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign on a personal level for the AS Monaco academy product.
At club level, Mbappé is also struggling. Whilst he has 10 goals since joining Los Blancos on a free transfer in the summer, it is widely accepted that the Frenchman is yet to live up to expectations at the Bernabeu. He recently missed a penalty in the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool and he followed that up with another miss from the spot against Athletic Club earlier this week.
Mbappé has come in for a lot of criticism, however, speaking to RFI, former Chelsea and Olympique de Marseille forward Didier Drogba has leapt to his defence. The former Ivory Coast international has said that he is “disappointed” by the “wave of ingratitude” surrounding the Real Madrid forward, notably criticising his treatment in France.
Drogba draws Tiger Woods-Mbappé comparison
“He is still someone who has done a lot for France. He contributed to the second star (2018 World Cup win) and he almost gave them the third and now he is being heckled. It is the law in our sport, it is an ingrateful sport is football and we all know it,” said Drogba, in an interview transcribed by Le Parisien.
Evoking Mbappé’s recent problems, Drogba draws a comparison to Tiger Woods. “I see him a bit like Tiger Woods, who for a while struggled to re-discover his game, and once he re-discovered it, he became the Tiger that everyone loves. Kylian is going through a period that isn’t simple […] I know him as a person, and yes, as a human being, he will have doubts. It is normal, but he is someone who has certainties too,” said Drogba, who added that he is “very optimistic” that Mbappé will re-discover his top form.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle