Mbappe Gets The French Player Of The Year Award Amid Criticism

Kylian Mbappe won the French Player of the Year award from France Football for the 2023/2024 season (Instagram/@k.mbappe).

JAKARTA - Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has been awarded the French Player of the Year award by France Football for his performance with his former Paris Saint-Germain club for the 2023/2024 season.

This is the fourth time the French national team captain has won an award hosted by France Football magazine. He won it for his performances in the 2022/2023 season as well as the 2018 and 2019 editions before being given seasonally.

Mbappe scored 52 goals in all competitions for PSG in his final term in the French capital. This season, he won Ligue 1 for the sixth time and Couple de France.

He was also captain of the French national team until the semifinals of Euro 2024 before they were eliminated in Spanish hands.

Arsenal defender William Saliba was in second place in the vote, then AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in third place. Mbappe's current team-mates, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, are in fourth and fifth place, respectively, after Real Madrid claim the Champions League title.

Mbappe has scored 12 goals and contributed two assists in 22 games in all competitions since joining Los Blancos on a free transfer this summer.

However, his performances with Real Madrid were flooded with criticism. Mbappe is considered still not getting the best performance, especially regarding settlements.

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe was absent during Real Madrid's 3-3 draw against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

He suffered a thigh injury when Los Blancos won 3-2 against Atalanta in the Champions League on December 11, 2024.

However, Mbappe was still included in the squad of 24 players who flew to Doha, Qatar, to play the 2024 Intercontinental Cup final at the Lusail Stadium on Thursday, December 19, 2024, early morning WIB, against Mexico's representative, Pachuca.