"Two winners from each competing UAE society will secure a place in an exclusive 'Player Clinic' overseen by a DP World Tour professional
sports2 days ago
France captain Kylian Mbappe is facing criticism in his home country for skipping Les Bleus' Nations League games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for Real Madrid.
The forward picked up a muscle injury last month but made his return to the pitch in the Champions League last Wednesday.
France coach Didier Deschamps left Mbappe out of the squad he announced on Thursday, saying the 25-year-old lacked preparation, having played too few matches.
Mbappe started Real's La Liga game against Villarreal on Saturday.
"Either you're injured, and you don't play with your club and you're not called up in the national team," former France international Maxime Bossis told French sports daily L'Equipe on Monday.
"But when you come off the bench in the Champions League and you start a league game, it makes things fuzzy. He's a special player. We've known that with Michel Platini, when we still wanted him with us when he was injured."
Mbappe's situation is more complicated because the former Paris St Germain player is the national team captain after being handed the armband ahead of Antoine Griezmann, who last week announced his retirement from international football.
Griezmann's commitment to Les Bleus was never in doubt as the Atletico Madrid forward played a record 84 consecutive matches for his country between 2017 and 2024.
"As a captain (Mbappe) must be an example for the fans, and he has not been," Fabien Bonnet, spokesperson for the Irresistibles Francais, the main France supporters' group, told L'Equipe.
"What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone."
France, second in Group A, face Israel in Budapest on Thursday and travel to Belgium next Monday.
"Two winners from each competing UAE society will secure a place in an exclusive 'Player Clinic' overseen by a DP World Tour professional
sports2 days ago
Only 12 out of 120 players completed their rounds as Japan’s Rintaro Nakano held the lead at seven under par
sports3 days ago
The Ladies Golf Day drew a dedicated gathering united in support of a cause that impacts countless lives
sports3 days ago
The PFA had submitted a proposal to have Israel suspended in May over the war in Palestine
sports4 days ago
‘It was a confident round despite the brutal conditions and pouring rain over the final 10 holes,’ said 17-year-Rayan
sports4 days ago
Dubai Basketball will be looking to win their third straight game when they take on the Serbian team at Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday
sports4 days ago
APGC Chairman Amin highlights the UAE’s impressive growth in golf and anticipates the 2025 Championship will build on the nation's legacy of hosting prestigious tournaments
sports4 days ago
The teenage duo will join a field of 120 golfers from 43 APGC member nations in the tournament that concludes on Sunday
sports5 days ago