Konate says returning Mbappe in ‘good frame of mind’ for France

France's forward Kylian Mbappe during a training session ahead of France's UEFA Nations League match against Italy. | Photo Credit: AFP

France defender Ibrahima Konate said on Monday that Kylian Mbappe was in a good place as he returns to national team action despite missing out on the Ballon d’Or and the controversy in China sparked by his comments about Mao Zedong.

Mbappe, who missed Les Bleus’ last three matches through injury, has returned to coach Zinedine Zidane’s squad ahead of Nations League matches with Italy and Turkey this week.

“He’s in a very good frame of mind; you can see that from his recent matches -- he’s been decisive. He’s absolutely vital for us in Madrid,” Konate, who also plays with Mbappe at Real Madrid, said.

Mbappe narrowly lost out on the Ballon d’Or to England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane in late October and then had to apologise after a social media storm following a video in which he joked about former Chinese leader Mao.

In a clip from an interview with French show “The Bridge”, which has since been taken down, Mbappe had said he was amused by an internet meme showing his face photoshopped onto “some guy, think he’s a Chinese dictator”, an apparent reference to Mao.

Major Chinese brands subsequently cut ties with the 27-year-old, and Spanish La Liga matches have been pulled from state television broadcaster CCTV.

Konate added that the 2018 World Cup winner had also put any Ballon d’Or disappointment firmly behind him.

“He’s a competitor, so of course not winning the Ballon d’Or when he thoroughly deserved it is tough, but the very next day he was giving it his all in training. I hope he’ll be in top form next year to lift it,” the former Liverpool centre-half said.