Didier Deschamps explains why he has left Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe out of his France squad for Nations League ties

Mbappe’s absence from the France squad comes as a surprise to many, particularly because he featured in Real Madrid’s Champions League loss to Lille on Wednesday. However, the forward has only just returned from a thigh injury, which caused him to miss crucial fixtures, including last weekend’s Madrid derby.

With La Liga set for a two-week international break following this weekend's fixtures, Mbappe will remain in Madrid, where he will continue his rehabilitation at the club's Valdebebas training facility. This extended period of rest and recovery is expected to help Mbappe regain peak condition without the added pressure of international duties.

"I spoke with Kylian about the situation, which is still uncertain after coming on as a substitute on Wednesday. He has a match on Saturday and there are questions," Deschamps told reporters explaining his decision to leave out Mbappe.

"He has a problem which is not serious but he needs treatment to recover properly. I am not here to take risks. That is why Kylian is not here."

Deschamps further acknowledged that while Mbappe had played in September’s games, he wasn’t in his best mental or physical condition at the time.

"I have no doubt about Kylian's commitment but he was not in the best condition during the last gathering," the head coach added.

Deschamps has called up a fresh wave of talent, including Christopher Nkunku, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola for the next two games. Les Bleus will take on Israel in Budapest before travelling to Brussels to face Belgium on October 14. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Mbappe is called up by Carlo Ancelotti for Los Blancos' next fixture against Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening.