Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has found himself at the eye of a media storm again in his native France during an international break. The 26-year-old captains his national team, but there is a feeling in Paris that he receives a different treatment from some of his teammates.
Mbappe scored a brace and gave an assist against Ukraine last week in a 4-0 win in which he played the whole match. The following day he was released from the France camp with ‘inflammation to his ankle‘. He returned to Madrid for further tests, which established he would face no issues being fit for Elche this weekend, but Les Bleus could not call on his services or leadership in Baku, Azerbaijan, last Sunday.
WELCOME TO DUBAII @k.mbappe ❤️Via atlantisfanpage2 on TikTok#lovindubai pic.twitter.com/ph4ZsBIoSU
— Lovin Dubai | لوڤن دبي (@lovindubai) November 18, 2025
Mbappe’s trip to Dubai
However with Real Madrid’s players given holidays by Alonso for four days, Mbappe decided to use his time to go on a trip. L’Equipe, as carried by MD, explain that many expected Mbappe to be focusing on his recovery and resting after his injury, but instead he went to Dubai on holiday with his friends. Not only did he undertake a long trip to the Middle East, Mbappe also partook in some social padel games.
Mbappe’s trip to Sweden
This follows on from Mbappe being released with ankle issues during the last international break, missing France’s away trip to Iceland. It is only 13 months ago that Mbappe was in the headlines for a trip to Sweden during his time off. While France were in action, after Didier Deschamps had told the media that Mbappe had not been called up in order to give him time to rest, Mbappe was on a night out with his entourage in Stockholm.
Even if Mbappe has not done anything wrong, a player with such a keen awareness of branding and optics will have been warned that his trip could backfire.
