Kylian Mbappe - France - sportstiger

Picture Credit: Twitter

France Football Federation President Noel Le Graet expressed that Kylian Mbappe was contemplating retirement from international football after the Euro 2020. While speaking in a newspaper article which was released on Sunday, Le Graet addressed the lack of support he received after missing the important penalty.

Le Graet was quoted saying, “I met with him after the Euros, he felt the Federation had not defended him after his missed penalty and the criticism on the networks. We met for five minutes in my office.”

“He was angry, he didn't want to play for the French team anymore — which he obviously didn't mean. You know how it is, he's a winner, he was very frustrated, like all of us, by the elimination. He's so media-friendly. He's a great guy, much more collective than people think”, he added.

It was in relation to racism, and NOT to the penalty: Mbappe

Mbappe also took to Twitter to address that his decision to retire was because of the racial abuse he received rather than solely because he wasn't supported after his miss. The Paris Saint-Germain forward tweeted, “Yes finally I explained to him (Le Graet) above all that it was in relation to racism, and NOT to the penalty. “But he considered that there had been no racism...”

Above all, I never wanted to be a problem: Mbappe

After the Euro 2020, Mbappe had come out and discussed the incident where he talked about how he would leave the team if he is considered a problem. He said, “I have never taken a single euro to play for the French national team and I will always play for my national team for free. Above all, I never wanted to be a problem.”

“But from the moment where I felt like that I was starting to become a problem and that people felt I was a problem… I received the message, that my ego was what made us lose, that I wanted to take up too much space and that without me, therefore, we might have won”, Mbappe added.

“The most important thing is the French national team and if the French national team is happier without me, [I'll go]. I met with the president and we talked about it. What I went to complain to him about was that I was insulted and called a 'monkey' for missing a penalty. That is not the same thing. I will never complain about a penalty. The penalty, I was the one who missed it”, he added to the abuse he received.