Amidst a string of less-than-spectacular displays for Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe illuminated the footballing world with his sheer brilliance while representing the French national team. In a scintillating match against the Netherlands, he notched a pivotal double, propelling “Les Bleus” to a thrilling 2-1 victory and sealing their official qualification for Euro 2024.
The striking disparity in Mbappe’s form at the club and international levels has raised questions about how coaches Didier Deschamps and Luis Enrique are utilizing their star player. It appears that the issue may not solely rest with Kylian Mbappe but could be attributed to the tactics employed by the managers guiding him.
At Paris Saint-Germain, particularly when Neymar and Lionel Messi were part of the squad, Kylian Mbappe often found himself playing as the central striker. Under the guidance of coach Luis Enrique, he was even deployed in a somewhat unfamiliar role, positioned just behind Goncalo Ramos, which was a departure from the 25-year-old striker’s accustomed position.
During his early career at AS Monaco, Kylian Mbappe typically partnered with target strikers like Radamel Falcao or Valere Germain. While it is undeniable that his exceptional talent enables him to adapt to various positions within the attack, if Luis Enrique desires to witness the player donning the number 7 jersey deliver his peak performance, it might necessitate allowing him to roam the flanks.
It’s worth recalling that during the 2018 World Cup, where France clinched the championship, coach Didier Deschamps deployed Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, and Antoine Griezmann as the starting lineup against Australia. However, this trio encountered considerable difficulties against the robust Australian defense. It was only after the introduction of Olivier Giroud that things started to change.
The inaugural match against Australia marked the last occasion when Kylian Mbappe was positioned as an attacking midfielder during France’s victorious World Cup campaign in Russia. Didier Deschamps initially experimented with the idea of deploying the former AS Monaco striker in the central attacking role, but it proved to be less effective. Consequently, he has rarely repeated this tactical approach, preferring to utilize his talented protege in different ways.
