France’s 3-1 defeat by Italy has reportedly exposed tensions within the national team, with Zinedine Zidane facing criticism over his decisions and his relationship with captain Kylian Mbappe.
Cyril Hanouna, presenter of a programme on W9, said on Friday that he had received information from inside the France camp. He described an unsettled atmosphere involving tactical choices, organisational problems and a reported split between players aligned with Mbappe and others associated with Ousmane Dembele.
The claims come before France’s next match against Turkey on Sunday, with the pressure on Zidane extending beyond the result and performance against Italy.
Hanouna said several players had questioned Zidane’s squad selection, particularly the inclusion of footballers playing in lower divisions. He identified Sael Kumbedi as the only member of the squad playing in the German second tier, while insisting that concerns also related to the manager’s approach to leading the team.
According to Hanouna, some players had become so unconvinced by certain decisions that they preferred Zidane to continue with his experiments until their consequences became clear. That could mean accepting another setback in the hope that the manager would then stop changing his ideas and settle on more consistent choices.
Mbappe relationship under scrutiny
The situation has also been affected by Dayot Upamecano’s departure from the camp for publicly stated personal reasons. Hanouna said the defender’s exit had surprised the coaching staff and was not expected.
There were also reported administrative difficulties during the gathering. Friday’s scheduled training session in Bordeaux was changed, while there were concerns that some members of staff could lose their jobs.
A number of players were said to be unhappy with arrangements for their families’ travel. Hanouna presented those issues as evidence that the uncertainty within the camp was not limited to results or team selection and had also reached the administrative side of the national team.
The most sensitive issue, however, concerns Mbappe’s relationship with Zidane. Hanouna said the Real Madrid forward had asked to play in the first match of the international break before returning to his club, but that Zidane rejected the request and insisted he remain with France until the end of the camp.
Mbappe did not play against Italy but completed Friday’s training session, leaving open the possibility of a return against Turkey on Sunday.
Hanouna also reported that the dressing room had divided into two groups, one centred on Mbappe and the other around Dembele. He said the situation had placed some players in a difficult position as they tried to manage the presence of two factions within the same squad.
No players have been named as belonging to either group, and there has been no official confirmation that such a division exists.
The reports leave Zidane facing a significant test before the Turkey match, with scrutiny now focused on his selection decisions, his relationship with France’s leading players and the organisation of the camp. Mbappe’s availability will be one of the main issues as France attempt to recover from the defeat by Italy.
