France Star Mbappe evokes that players get more free time

French Captain Kylian Mbappe said on Thursday that top football players do not necessarily play too many games, but need more free time in a busy schedule, which offers little time for a break.

«It is not just a matter of the number of games, but more about recovery. We just need a little more rest, free time for our bodies to regenerate and restore the number of matches we have to play,» Mbappe told reporters in Poland, where France is 2026 World Cup against Ukrainian starts on Friday.

Mbappe played 59 games last season in his first campaign with Real Madrid, from making his debut in the UEFA Super Cup on August 14 last year to the Club World Cup semi-final defeat by Paris Saint-Germain on July 9.

He also made six performances for France at the time and was back in La Liga when this season started on August 19.

If France is eligible for the World Cup, this may be mid -July before he gets considerable free time again.

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«Are we playing too much? No, my thinking has evolved,» Mbappe sustained.

«I thought so, but I don’t do that anymore, because I can understand that the people looking at their bank think we are making a lot of money and so we have to play.»

Mbappe, who scored 44 goals for the Spanish giant last season, admitted that the introduction of the club’s world cup had greatly increased the demands on players.

«We only just arrived at the quarterfinals, while teams were already starting to play friendly matches. They had started the 2025/26 season while it was still 2024/25 for us,» he said.

«I watch a lot of matches, but I can’t remember that I have played a player – even the best of all time – in a season and I am always at their best.»

He added: «It is a matter that needs to be investigated, because everyone will come out as a winner. People will see games of a higher quality.»

After playing Ukraine, France will entertain Iceland in Paris on Tuesday. It will also be confronted with Azerbaijan in qualifying group D, the winner of which is directly eligible for the World Cup.

Published on 04 September 2025