“He’s a competitor, so, of course, not winning the Balón de Oro when he more than deserved it is hard, but the very next day he was going full pelt in training,” Ibrahima Konaté stated, as reported by MARCA, addressing teammate Kylian Mbappé’s state of mind after missing out on the award.
France national team players gathered at Clairefontaine ahead of their upcoming match against Italy in Milan. Konaté spoke to reporters in the mixed zone following the squad’s opening training session under coach Zinedine Zidane’s setup. MARCA reported that “Kylian has a fantastic attitude, as we’ve seen in the last few games, where he’s been decisive,” according to Konaté.
Konaté also discussed his own physical condition following a challenging previous campaign with Liverpool. He noted that he feels fully recovered and is operating at peak capacity.
🚨 IBRAHIMA KONATÉ 🇫🇷 SE CONFIE SUR KYLIAN MBAPPÉ 🇫🇷, LE BALLON D’OR 🌕 ET LES CRITIQUES REÇUES LA SAISON DERNIÈRE ! 👀 Le défenseur des Bleus est revenu sur la déception de son coéquipier après avoir terminé deuxième du Ballon d’Or 2026, mais aussi sur sa propre force mentale… pic.twitter.com/zP7N4zMSPg
The central defender stated that his current form is not a recent uptick but a continuation of his baseline since the start of the season. MARCA reported that Konaté pointed to his mental strength in overcoming difficult personal and professional hurdles over the past year.
Konaté offered remarks on Paris Saint-Germain player Désiré Doué during his media availability. MARCA reported that the Real Madrid player acknowledged the young midfielder’s rising potential.
“He doesn’t impress me, but the invisible work he does is simply exceptional,” Konaté said, according to MARCA. The defender noted that Doué has not yet reached his maximum potential.
France continues training at Clairefontaine before traveling to face Italy in Milan.
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