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Kylian Mbappé returns to the France squad with a very positive mindset despite missing out on the 2026 Ballon d’Or and facing backlash in China over comments regarding Mao Zedong, according to his Real Madrid teammate Ibrahima Konaté.
Konaté spoke to reporters on Monday at Clairefontaine, where Les Bleus have gathered ahead of their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Italy and Turkey, as reported by eurosport.fr.
The Real Madrid forward missed the last three matches for the French national team due to injury. His absence from the pitch coincided with intense scrutiny following a video in which he associated an internet meme of himself with a Chinese dictator, referencing past digital alterations of his face onto images of Mao Zedong.
Those remarks prompted several Chinese corporate partners to terminate their sponsorship agreements with the French captain despite his public apologies. Simultaneously, state television in China suspended the broadcast of Spain’s La Liga matches.
Domestically on the pitch, Mbappé finished second in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting behind Harry Kane. The recognition followed a prolific campaign that saw the French forward claim top scorer honors in the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and La Liga.
Konaté addressed the disappointment surrounding the individual award while praising his club teammate’s resilience. He has a very good state of mind, you can see it in the last few matches, he has been decisive. He is super important for us in Madrid,
Konaté stated, as reported by eurosport.fr.
Konaté also noted the forward’s immediate return to competitive focus. He is a competitor so of course not having won the Ballon d’Or when he fully deserved it is hard, but the next day he was right at it in training.
| Tournament / Competition (2026) | Player Achievement | Ballon d’Or Result |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | Top Scorer | 2nd Place (Overall) |
| UEFA Champions League | Top Scorer | Winner: Harry Kane |
| La Liga (Spain) | Top Scorer | Runner-Up: Kylian Mbappé |
The French squad under Zinédine Zidane travels to Milan to face Italy on Thursday before hosting Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday.
