why he plays in the center for Macron

With this skillful dribble, the French national team forward (and soon a Real Madrid player) rendered service to the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macronconfronted with advance of the extreme right (death) and from the extreme left (the scare) in the legislative elections.

On Monday, the Sports Minister of the French government, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, thanked him in public: “Kylian (Mbappé) spoke in an absolutely exemplary way. He wanted to address the youth at a totally unprecedented and decisive moment for the future of our country. “.

The early legislative elections were called by President Macron, after the overwhelming victory of the extreme right in the European elections on June 9. The French are called to elect their deputies in the National Assembly in two rounds of voting to be held on June 30 and July 7.

The polls place the far-right party led by Marine Le Pen. If they win, it would be the first time that the extreme right comes to power since the days of the Vichy collaborationist government with Hitler headed by General Pétain.

The feeling of gravity of the moment has unleashed the tongues of the footballers, among other athletes. Mbappé spoke on Sunday as captain of the French team, sticking to the statement from the French Football Federation that on Saturday night supported “the necessary call to go vote” but in which he asked for “understanding and respect from everyone for their neutrality and that of the team.”

It was the subtle way of trying to put people in their place. Ousmane Dembele already Marcus Thuram. The PSG winger “with his usual lightness”, in the words of Le Monde He criticized, last Thursday, “that one Frenchman in two does not vote” even though “the alarm siren has already sounded”, in reference to the possible coming to power of the extreme right.

If Dembélé was careful not to give any voting instructions, Thuram went one step further, stating on Saturday: “We must go to vote and as citizens fight so that the extreme right does not pass,” in reference to the “they will not pass” of the war. Spanish civilian.

Thuram’s message was received with enthusiasm from left-wing forces and with irritation from the extreme right. So, Julien Odoutspokesperson for Le Pen’s party wrote in X: “Citizen Marcus [Thuram] He never said a word to express his sadness when Thomas, Lola and all the other young victims who were massacred by the mob. Up to the noses of these privileged people who give lessons and take the French for fools.”

Call “against extremes”

This is the context in which Mbappé spoke on Sunday. Showing off his reputation for being an eloquent person with firm but respectful convictions, he said: “Yes, I am aware of the statement from the French Football Federation. We are at a crucial moment in the history of our country. You have to have a sense of priority. We are citizens and we cannot be disconnected from the world around us. “We are in an unprecedented situation.”

And he added: “I want to address the French people and their young generations. It is clear that the extremes are at the doors of power. We have the opportunity to choose the future of our country. I appeal to all young people to go vote. The country needs to identify with our values ​​of diversity, tolerance and respect. It is undoubted. Every vote counts. I hope they make the right choice and that on July 7th one can be proud to wear this shirt.”

Expressly asked about Thuram’s position against the extreme right, the new Real Madrid player responded: “I share the same values ​​as Marcus: tolerance, diversity and respect. No, he hasn’t gone too far, I’m with him. We are in a country where there is freedom of expression. He gave his opinion and I am with him.”

That is, he supports freedom of expression and Thuram’s values, but calls come out of his mouth to participate in the elections now. mobilize “against the extremes.” Not only against the extreme right.

Athletes against the extreme right

In contrast to this centrism, a group of athletes yesterday asked to “vote against the extreme right.” Expressly citing Le Pen’s party, they stated: “The extreme right exploits our differences and manipulates our fears to divide us.” The manifesto published by L’Equipe was signed by tennis players like Yannick Noahathletes like Marie José Perecor the navigator Isabelle Autissier.

Dembélé, Thuram and other players from the French national team such as Konaté, Upamecanoand Koundé have published messages in recent months support for the civilian population of Gaza, victims of Israeli bombings. The first three also participated in an awareness campaign against violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mbappé also led the statement a year ago of the blue after the death of young Nahel at the hands of a police officer who shot him at point-blank range after he tried to skip a checkpoint. That death unleashed a wave of violence that spread from the Parisian neighborhoods throughout France. “We do not want to remain insensitive to the circumstances of this unacceptable death (…) Many of us come from those neighborhoods, so we understand the popular anger that lies at the bottom. but we cannot endorse this process of self-destruction. “Violence doesn’t solve anything.”

Closeness to Macron

Mbappé was born in Bondy, a Parisian suburb. Her father, Wilfried, an emigrant from Cameroon, was a children’s soccer coach and her mother, Fayza, of Algerian origins, supervised school activities for children after having been a handball player. Mbappé’s rapid rise to the top of French and world football, as well as his affability and good manners, led him to establish a unique relationship with President Macron.

This complicity was seen, for example, in May 2021. The scene took place in the Elysee Palace where the President of the Republic was interview by two YouTube stars, McFly and Carlito. The head of state’s interlocutors, football fans and PSG fans, were invited to play “true or false.” The French head of state, seriously, stated: “I am the one who takes care of Kylian Mbappé’s career. In the coming weeks, he will leave PSG to go to Olympique Marseille.”

The youtubers They were right: “False, false”, but what no one expected was for Macron to use his cell phone: “Kylian? How are you? I’ll put you on speaker. I just announced that you are going to Olympique.” It is not known if the player was warned but it was recorded that he naturally denied the head of state: “Impossible.”