Mbappe at war with French Football Federation over image right
Mbappe appears bigger than his club and country at the moment
The French national team is once again in turmoil. Not forgetting the Paul Pogba case or that of the president of the Federation himself, Noel Le Graet, who is under investigation for sending sexually suggestive text messages to female employees, Kylian Mbappe's image rights are now becoming a serious issue.
Of course, it isn't comparable in importance to blackmail and sexual misconduct, but Les Bleus' best player being unhappy doesn't necessarily make life easier for the French Football Federation.
The timing of this latest disagreement is problematic too, with the 2022 World Cup just two months away.
In a statement, Mbappe has confirmed he will not attend an FFF photo shoot on Tuesday after Le Graet himself confirmed in L'Equipe that nothing would change with regards to image rights until the World Cup.
"We regret that an agreement has not been reached as planned before the World Cup, which is why the player has decided not to attend the photo shoot scheduled for tomorrow," the statement said.
The differences between Mbappe and the FFF started last March, when the striker did not come down from his room at the Chateaux de Clairefontaine for an engagement of the whole team with one of the federation's sponsors.
Mbappe's lawyers argued that some of the Federation's branded advertisements clash with the interests of one of Mbappe's own sponsors and that this is happening with other footballers in the team too.
Le Graet pledged at the end of the season to renegotiate the conditions under which players must give up their image rights when they are called up to the national team, but there has not been the expected progress.
"Assurances were given that this agreement, drawn up in 2010, must be modified to keep up with developments in sport and communication methods," Mbappe's statement continued.
"Meetings will be intensified to reach a new version of the agreement before the World Cup," explained Delphine Verheyden, Mbappe's lawyer.
She has also made it clear in a statement that the player's commitment and dedication to the colours of France are beyond doubt and that nothing will change in this regard despite this conflict of commercial interests.
