Amid a tumultuous period at club level with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe is "radiant" and constantly smiling behind the scenes at France national team camp, according to head coach Didier Deschamps.
Mbappe and his club team-mates suffered a heartbreaking Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid earlier this month, with the Ligue 1 outfit blowing a two-goal aggregate lead in the span of 29 minutes.
Still, the forward, who has had personal issues in the past with his national team, appears to be in excellent spirits.
What has been said?
"Since he arrived, he has been radiant, smiling," said Deschamps to reporters.
"Football is hard, but [the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid] is already behind. He is part of the group, knows that he is an important, decisive player. It's not Kylian and the band, it's Kylian in the band."
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The bigger picture
When Mbappe first arrived to greet his France compatriots, there was a hint of a sour mood as he appeared to tell Pogba he was feeling "fed up" at PSG.
And in the past, Mbappe has had an up-and-down relationship with Les Bleus, feuding with Olivier Giroud last summer and publicly airing grievances after Euro 2020.
Now, though, his head coach sees a renewed level of energy as the team begins preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It's going to be a huge year for Mbappe on multiple fronts, as beyond the World Cup he will also decide whether to join Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
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