Real Madrid trigger fresh France row over Kylian Mbappe call up

Feargal Brennan

Real Madrid trigger fresh France row over Kylian Mbappe call up  image

Real Madrid could reopen their tense relationship with the France national team in the coming weeks.

Los Blancos signed off from a frustrating domestic season with no trophies as Xabi Alonso has immediately come in to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

The club are expected to go full power at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, with their first game against Al Hilal on June 18, as Alonso looks to bring in an instant title.

Despite a poor overall campaign, one bright spark from 2024/25 came via Kylian Mbappe's sensational first season in Madrid, with the former PSG forward netting 43 goals across all competitions.

31 league goals secured the La Liga Golden Boot award for Mbappe as he finished four ahead of Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski.

However, due to a tight fixture schedule, Mbappe will play at least one game for France before the start of the Club World Cup with Didier Deschamps' side in UEFA Nations League semi final action against Spain.

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Deschamps opted not to include his captain in the squad for France’s Nations League games in November after he missed the October window due to fitness issues.

That call was reversed in March, as he played both games against Croatia, with France setting up a semi final clash with Spain on June 5.

With Real Madrid's league season ending on May 25 - as Mbappe scored twice in a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad - the 26-year-old has been granted a break.

Deschamps' panel will meet up at their  Clairefontaine base on May 30, but Mbappe and clubmate Aurelien Tchouameni will not be amongst them.

Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 052325

As per reports from L'Equipe, via Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid have instructed the duo not to join the camp until the FIFA deadline of June 2.

The decision has reportedly annoyed Deschamps, with the France boss also without six players competing in the May 31 UEFA Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan.

Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaire-Emery, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thurman and Desire Doue will come in after the final in Munich.

Mbappe is expected to captain France against Spain in Stuttgart - despite his delayed arrival and Deschamps' frustration - with the potential of a final against either Germany or Portugal on June 8.

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Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.