Like a desire to stay in bed. While Tuesday morning was devoted to traditional operations for the sponsors of the French team in Clairefontaine, PSG star Kylian Mbappé refused to participate in these operations. No sleepover for the Parisian, but a way of protesting against the collective management of image rights among the Blues, according to his representatives for whom this incident is not “in no way a rebellion”.
The 23-year-old striker skipped a scheduled meeting with several sponsors of the French team (Volkswagen, Uber Eats, Orange, Xbox, Coca-Cola, Konami), bringing to light a persistent subject of contention for several month.
The entourage of the 2018 world champion disputes the agreement relating to the transfer of the collective right to the image that each international signs, before his first selection, and which contains in particular obligations vis-à-vis the partners of the FFF. In exchange for this commitment, each player receives 25,000 euros per match played.
Mbappé signed her in 2017 but “this agreement has never been renegotiated since and is deemed valid for each player until the end of his career in the France team“, explain its representatives in a press release sent to AFP on Wednesday. They claim to have exchanged with the Federation “repeatedly, for more than three years” on this subject, convinced that “the conditions of this agreement no longer allow the image of football to be developed in accordance with the values that the institution can carry, but also those specific to each player in the team”.
Mbappé’s absence from Tuesday’s session “is in no way a rebellion, it had no other objective than to reaffirm its expectations and move the lines”continues the press release. “This episode in no way calls into question Kylian Mbappé’s involvement, his attachment to the France team, and must serve for the necessary dialogue around these subjects”insist his representatives by affirming that, since his very first selection in March 2017, the attacker “wanted to give his bonuses to charities”.
Noël Le Graët will discuss with Kylian Mbappé
FFF president Noël Le Graët tried to change Mbappé’s mind [article payant], on Tuesday, but this one refused to join the shooting scheduled for sponsors. “I’m not making it a state affair”tried to deflate the leader on Wednesday with The Team, who revealed the incident. “There is no arm wrestling. Small worries are part of life. Kylian will be on the pitch in Marseille and I hope he will be good.”
According to Le Graët, the lawyers of the FFF will send a letter to the representatives of the PSG player to “To see point by point what is problematic. We want to improve things and make people happy, sponsors and players“, he said, rejecting any idea of punishment. “I don’t like that word. But there will be a conversation” with Mbappé, he assured.