A Reinvigorated Kylian Mbappe Returns to France With a Score to Settle

The Real Madrid superstar will represent France for the first time since September in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals.

Amanda Langell | Mar 20, 2025

Kylian Mbappé makes his grand return to France during the March international break. / IMAGO/BSR Agency

After a six-month absence from France, Kylian Mbappé is once again wearing the captain's armband for Les Bleus.

France closed out 2024 on a five-game unbeaten run in the UEFA Nations League group stage to punch their tickets to the quarterfinals. Didier Deschamps's squad managed a 1–3 victory over Italy on the final matchday to secure their spot atop the table. Despite their underwhelming performance at Euro 2024, France once again looked like one of the best national teams in the world.

And they did it all without Mbappé.

The Frenchman missed out on the October international break due to injury, but he recovered in time for Les Bleus' November matches against Israel and Italy. Ready to rejoin his fellow France teammates, Mbappé was all-but on his way to his homeland when Deschamps decided to leave his captain out of his squad.

Three years ago, the idea of Mbappé being overlooked by Deschamps for international duty would have sounded preposterous. The Frenchman left Qatar with the Golden Boot and Silver Ball after carrying France to a consecutive FIFA World Cup final. Mbappé went on to bag a hat trick against Argentina at Lusail Stadium, but France fell short in the penalty shootout. What could have been a back-to-back FIFA World Cup title for France instead went to Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste.

Kylian Mbappé took home the Golden Boot for his eight goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. / IMAGO/BSR Agency

In March of the next year, Mbappé became the captain of France. The superstar seemed destined to wear the armband for his home country ever since he helped Les Bleus lift the most coveted trophy in soccer in 2018. At age 19, Mbappé became a FIFA World Cup winner and joined Brazil legend Pelé as the only other player to win the competition as a teenager.

Mbappé became the new face of France and eventually, the new leader of France. Then he joined Real Madrid and everything changed.

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After a seven-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain, where Mbappé became the club's all-time leading goalscorer and lifted six French titles, the homegrown talent bid farewell to Paris and joined the biggest club in the world. Mbappé had dreams of following in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps in Madrid, but his time in a white shirt got off to a rocky start.

Mbappé's poor transition from Ligue 1 to La Liga sounded plenty of alarm bells not just throughout Spain, but across Europe. The once prolific goalscorer found the back of the net just six times in his first 11 La Liga appearances, and three of those goals came from the spot.

He made more headlines after a disastrous first El Clásico. The 26-year-old was caught offside a career-high eight times in Real Madrid's 0–4 defeat to Barcelona and ended the night with the least touches (27) of any outfield player to play 90 minutes.

Kylian Mbappé reached a new low in a white shirt against Barcelona. / IMAGO/CordonPress

Despite his poor form, it seemed inevitable that he would return to France in November. Deschamps, though, had other plans.

"It's a fact that [Mbappé] is in a difficult situation," the France boss said after his surprising decision to leave Mbappé out of France's squad. "Obviously, he is going through a period which is not the happiest of his career."

"He wanted to come," Deschamps continued. "I think it's better for him [to stay in Madrid] at the moment. Everybody can go through a difficult period. There is a physical element and a psychological one."

Even after making 86 appearances for France, scoring 48 goals and bringing home a FIFA World Cup, Mbappé got left behind by his country in November.

Things went from bad to worse for the forward when he missed two consecutive penalties in Real Madrid's defeats to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao following the international break. Nothing seemed to be going right for Mbappé, but he assured fans that he would "change the situation and show who [he is]" moving forward.

And he did just that.

Mbappé found his footing in Real Madrid's attack and now has 31 goals to his name. The Frenchman is currently on pace to break the goalscoring record for any Real Madrid player in their debut season. He also became the first player in Champions League history to score a hat trick at both the Santiago Bernabéu and the Camp Nou.

Kylian Mbappé (left) celebrated his hat trick against Manchester City in the Champions League with Jude Bellingham (right). / Laci Perenyi/IMAGO

His resurgence in the second half of Real Madrid's season made Mbappé a surefire inclusion in France's squad for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals. The 26-year-old will once again lead France out of the tunnel and on the pitch as they take on Croatia first at Poljud Stadium and then at the Stade de France.

Mbappé was candid when looking back on his six-month absence from France.

"I have no problem questioning myself. I have never had any problem with criticism when it is deserved and well-argued," he said. "The most important thing is to move forward and not to repeat the same mistakes. I am feeling good, I feel happy to play [soccer]. I am happy to be here to help the [France] team."

Mbappé finally gets his opportunity to return to the team and show his coach, his teammates and the world all the work he put into his game in the months he was stuck on the sidelines. Even after all he has done for France on the biggest of stages, the Frenchman still has a point to prove.

Croatia is the last obstacle standing in Mbappé's way on his road to redemption for France.