France defender, Ibrahima Konate, has backed captain Kylian Mbappe to overcome his recent disappointments, expressing confidence in the forward’s mental state ahead of his return to international duty.
Mbappe has been recalled to France’s squad by coach Zinedine Zidane after missing the country’s last three matches due to injury. Les Bleus are scheduled to face Italy and Turkey in Nations League fixtures this week.
Konate, who plays alongside Mbappe at Real Madrid, said the 27-year-old remains in high spirits and continues to demonstrate his importance to the Spanish club through his performances.
“He’s in a very good frame of mind; you can see that from his recent matches – he’s been decisive. He’s absolutely vital for us in Madrid,” Konate said.
Mbappe’s recent setbacks also include his failure to win the Ballon d’Or, finishing behind England striker Harry Kane in the voting at the end of October.
The France captain also faced a backlash in China following comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong during an interview with French programme The Bridge.
He subsequently apologised, while several major Chinese brands reportedly terminated their commercial partnerships with him.
Despite the controversies, Konate insisted that the Ballon d’Or disappointment had not diminished Mbappe’s competitive spirit, noting that the forward remained committed to training immediately after the awards announcement.
“He’s a competitor, so of course not winning the Ballon d’Or when he thoroughly deserved it is tough, but the very next day he was giving it his all in training,” the former Liverpool centre-back added.
“I hope he’ll be in top form next year to lift it.”
