Spain v France: Semi-Final - UEFA EURO 2024
Kylian Mbappe and William Saliba are teammates for France
Kylian Mbappe has been crowned France’s Footballer of the Season but conceded Arsenal star William Saliba may have been a more deserving winner.
The France national team captain enjoyed a stellar final campaign at Paris Saint-Germain where he scored 52 goals in all competitions.
Mbappe’s influence saw PSG win a French league and cup double, while they also reached the semi finals of the Champions League.
The 25-year-old therefore earned 56 points in the vote conducted by France Football, five more than second-placed William Saliba.
Arsenal’s defensive tower of power has enjoyed another reputation enhancing 12 months and is now firmly established as the cornerstone of Les Bleus defence.
‘You have to be fair, William Saliba would also have deserved to win this trophy,’ Mbappe told France Football, paying tribute to his international teammate.
Whether Mbappe retains the prestigious gong in 12 months’ time remains to be seen, but he will need to improve his indifferent from for his new club Real Madrid.
Arsenal FC v AS Monaco - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6
William Saliba has been in imperious form this season
Mbappe will miss the upcoming LaLiga visit to Rayo Vallecano, but defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is ready to return to the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury, manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.
He was replaced during the first half of Madrid’s 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, was diagnosed with an injury to his left thigh and will now miss Saturday’s game against 12th-placed Rayo.
France international Camavinga, 22, picked up his injury during their 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield in November.
SOCCER: DEC 10 Champions League 2024/25 - Atalanta v Real Madrid C.F
Kylian Mbappe suffered an injury in midweek
‘Kylian is not serious, he won’t be here tomorrow, but he will travel to Qatar (for Wednesday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup final) and there, we will assess the risk. Camavinga is fine, he’s available for tomorrow,’ Ancelotti told reporters.
Mbappe, who moved to the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer in June, is Madrid’s leading goalscorer in LaLiga with nine goals from 15 matches.
‘In the last few breaks he’s been here, resting, working… you don’t know. Fortunately he will only be out for a short period and he won’t lose what he has achieved in recent times,’ Ancelotti said.
MORE: ‘I’m now a Chelsea star – but I wanted to join another Premier League club’
MORE: Emmanuel Petit names three players who could stop Cole Palmer winning Ballon d’Or
MORE: One club backed to ‘dominate’ the Premier League ‘for the next 10 years’