Barcelona star among 3 players deemed to be favorites for France captaincy in Kylian Mbappe's absence – Reports

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is reportedly among the favorites to wear the captain's armband for the French national team in Kylian Mbappe’s absence. The November international break is on the horizon and France will face Israel and Italy in their final group games of the Nations League.

Kylian Mbappe was left out from the French squad for the National League fixtures in November, having also missed out in October. The former Paris Saint-Germain man was named the captain of France's men's national team in 2023 following Hugo Lloris' retirement from international football.

Real Madrid defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouaméni took up the captaincy role in the October international break. However, Tchouaméni will not be available for Les Bleus' Nations League fixtures this month. He has been ruled out for a month after he sprained his ankle against AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday (November 5).

According to RMC Sport, Jules Kounde, Ibrahima Konate, and N’Golo Kante are the options to wear the captain's armband for France in their two Nations League matches this month.

France manager Didier Deschamps said in a press conference (via RMC Sport):

"You will know on Thursday or maybe Wednesday if I decide to send the captain to a press conference, because it is not an obligation. It will not be Tchouaméni since he is injured. This will also allow, through this gathering, to make other players a little more responsible and maintain a dynamic that has been started."

Meanwhile, Deschamps has explained why he left Kylian Mbappe out of the France team. He said he made the decision after discussions with the Real Madrid forward.

Kylian Mbappe told Didier Deschamps he prioritizes Ballon d’Or win over playing for France - Reports

During the October international break, Kylian Mbappe reportedly told France manager Didier Deschamps that he prioritizes winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or over playing for France. After Mbappe was left out of the French squad for the Nations League fixtures in October, he was spotted in Stockholm, Sweden, on the very night that Les Bleus beat Israel 4-1.

Deschamps left him out of the October squad due to fitness issues, but his presence at a nightclub on the very night that his compatriots played against Isreal raised questions about his commitment to the team.

According to Foot Mercato, Mbappe told Deschamps that he is focused on winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or and will only play important matches for France. The report also added that the 25-year-old said he is eager to stay fit for Real Madrid due to the excessive number of matches being played.

Since joining Real Madrid, Mbappe has struggled for form and hasn't yet been able to match the expectations of the Los Blancos faithful.