Kylian Mbappe expressed his joy at rejoining the France national team ahead of their Nations League quarter-final against Croatia on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference in Split, the 26-year-old said, “I feel good, I feel happy to be playing football, I feel happy to be here.”
The France captain had missed several matches due to injury in October and November, and coach Didier Deschamps also rested him during a challenging period as he settled into life at his new club, Real Madrid. However, Mbappe is now excited to be back with his teammates.
“Most of the team-mates who are here, we talk pretty much all the time. I go on holiday with some of them. It’s a pleasure to be here,” Mbappe said, reassuring that there was no internal issue despite outside speculation.
Having made his long-anticipated move to Real Madrid last summer, Mbappe admitted he faced difficulties finding his best form at the Spanish club. He also touched on the scandal from last autumn, where his name appeared in a rape investigation. The case was closed in December without charges.
Reflecting on his challenges, Mbappe said, “A career is not linear. You have to refocus on what makes you happy and get back to work. If I had to do things differently? I would have played better.”
France will face Croatia in Split on Thursday, with the return leg scheduled for three days later at the Stade de France in Paris.
