Zidane benches Mbappé against Italy over lack of commitment, claims Hanouna, contrasting with Deschamps' softer approach

Kylian Mbappé did not play in France’s match against Italy at San Siro, and the official reasons for his absence are now being contested. While Zinedine Zidane cited a muscle problem, TV presenter Cyril Hanouna claims it was the player’s lack of commitment to the fixture that led the new France manager to leave him out.

This episode sheds light on a profound departure from the Deschamps method. For years, the former manager had built his relationship with Mbappé on a principle of permanent compromise. He had given him the captain’s armband — a choice that upset Antoine Griezmann so much it hastened his international retirement — and granted him significant tactical accommodations, notably a striker position designed to spare him defensive duties. An exemption from traveling to Kazakhstan, deemed too exhausting, had also been granted. Some observers had described this approach as “cuddle therapy.”

With Zidane, the tone shifts immediately. Tactically, Mbappé has been repositioned on his left wing, with the central axis freed up for Ousmane Dembélé, in a setup similar to what was tried at Paris Saint-Germain. But it is the human dimension that marks the most striking change.

“Didier Deschamps was extremely nice to Kylian Mbappé, who also had his whims with him. But Didier let more things slide. Zinedine Zidane doesn’t joke around. He showed who’s in charge,” Hanouna said, adding that the former Real Madrid manager’s pedigree and charisma allow him to impose his authority without negotiation.

These claims remain for now those of a television presenter, unconfirmed by the player’s entourage or the French Football Federation. Yet they fuel an ongoing debate about the singular place Mbappé has long occupied within the France squad, and Zidane’s ability to redefine the rules from his first weeks leading the Bleus.