Kylian Mbappe needs to prove he’s worthy of French captaincy

Kylian Mbappe might be one of the most talented soccer players on the planet, but he is far from a great leader.

According to soccer journalist Santi Aouna, Mbappe is only asking to be called up for important matches for the French National Team as he focuses on winning the Ballon d’Or — an annual football award which is awarded to the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season — with Real Madrid.

The French striker was named captain of his national team after the departure of Hugo Lloris from the national team. These antics seem far from captain-like behavior.

Mbappe is one of the hottest stars in the game as he has amassed 196 goals in 254 matches played. The striker already won France a World Cup and was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year seven times.

But there is still plenty for Mbappe to accomplish. Along with the Ballon d’Or, Mbappe has yet to win the UEFA Champions League. His big-money move to Real Madrid was partly done to help try and secure the elusive trophy as Real has won the Champions League 15 times, the most of any club in Europe.

In Madrid, Mbappe has had to adapt. The overall quality of the roster is far superior than the squad he played with at Paris St. Germain. Still, the striker has scored five goals in eight matches and is the club’s top scorer in league play.

But the demands he is making of the French National Team show a lack of leadership. It is a prime example of prioritizing yourself over the team. While France has the quality to succeed without Mbappe, it shouldn’t have to. As long as Mbappe is healthy, he should be playing with his national team.