Struggling to make an impact at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has again been left out of the France squad.
The captain was not included on Thursday in coach Didier Deschamps' list of players for Nations League matches against Israel and Italy. Mbappé was also absent from the previous gathering because of a minor thigh injury.
But this time Mbappé is not injured, and wanted to be selected, Deschamps said.
"It’s my responsibility to make decisions. I think it’s better that way," Deschamps said.
He would not elaborate on his choice to do without the striker, but said it was not related to recent reports in Swedish media that the former Paris Saint-Germain star was the subject of a rape investigation
“I’m not going to argue,” Descamps said. “What I can tell you are these two things. One, that Kylian wanted to come. And two, it’s not the extra sporting problems that come into play since the presumption of innocence exists and must exist. It’s a one-off choice for this gathering.”
Mbappé's performances have been below par in recent weeks after he joined Madrid from PSG this summer. His struggles to adapt to his new side's playing style have coincided with a global rough patch of form for the Spanish club.
Mbappé was invisible during the 4-0 loss to Barcelona last month in the clasico and wasn't a factor this week in a 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League.
Mbappé hasn't added to his 48 goals for France since June.
His absence from Deschamp’s squad last month turned into controversy when he started a Spanish league game for Madrid following his omission, amid sharp criticism from fans.
During his time off from club and country, as France beat Israel and Belgium in the Nations League, Mbappé visited Stockholm. Swedish media later reported he was the subject of a rape investigation. His legal team dismissed those reports as false. Swedish prosecutors issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying a rape was reported to police but didn’t name any suspect.
Deschamps will also be without Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who sprained his left ankle. In Mbappé's absence, Tchouaméni captained France last month.
France plays Israel on Nov. 14 at home then travels to Italy three days later. Italy leads the group standings after four matches, one point above France. Belgium is third, ahead of Israel.
France:
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens).
Defenders: Jonathan Claus (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Théo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio), N’Golo Kanté (Al Ittihad), Manu Koné (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG).
Forwards: Bradley Barcola (PSG), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan),
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match against AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The person who died when a Tesla Cybertruck packed with explosives burst into flames outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel was a highly decorated U.S. Army Green Beret who deployed twice to Afghanistan, officials said Thursday.
Two law enforcement officials identified the man inside the futuristic-looking pickup truck as Matthew Livelsberger. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners, the Army said in a statement. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said. He was awarded two Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.
The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.
The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack and police believe the driver was not acting alone.
Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.
Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.
Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself."
"All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.
Authorities know who rented the truck with the Turo app in Colorado, Kevin McMahill, the elected sheriff of Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, said Wednesday. He did not release the person’s ID, however.
Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
