Gavin Mortimer Gavin Mortimer

Why the French don’t all love Mbappé like Macron

Emmanuel Macron embraces 20-year-old Kylian Mbappe in 2019 (Photo: Getty)

Emmanuel Macron is confident France will beat England in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final. In an interview with a radio station, the president of the Republic declared that he doesn’t ‘really have any doubts about the fact that we’re going to win’. Macron is not known for his lack of self-belief but for once his bravado is justified: France are the reigning world champions, and in Kylian Mbappé they have the best player in the world.  

The Parisian is a phenomenon, the scorer of five goals in four games so far at this tournament, and in netting twice in the last 16 win over Poland Mbappé surpassed the great Pele for the number of goals scored in World Cups by a 23-year-old. He scored four in 2018 as he inspired France to the title.

Despite Macron’s attempt to become Mbappé Best Friend Forever, the PSG star seems reluctant to get too close to the president

Macron and Mbappé are old acquaintances.

Gavin Mortimer
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Gavin Mortimer

Gavin Mortimer is a British author who lives in Burgundy after many years in Paris. He writes about French politics, terrorism and sport.

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