Kylian Mbappe’s lawyer has defended the striker’s rights after controversy with the French national team this week.
The Paris Saint-Germain star decided not to represent a sponsor of the French Football Federation earlier this week, drawing criticism.
National team player’s are usually expected to wear federation sponsors and to take part in the sponsorship campaigns, but Mbappe – who has been linked with Real Madrid – decided to hold back in the latest sponsor display.
Following the incident, Mbappe’s lawyer Delphine Verheyden has defended his client, claiming players should have more rights over sponsors.
“It is not realistic for a player to have a commitment to the national team from the time he debuts until five years after finishing his career,” he told L’Equipe via Mundo Deportivo.
“There is a risk that his image will be distorted. Despite the proposals that he has received, which are many, Kylian has always tried to be very careful in choosing his sponsors. He wants to transmit the correct messages to the youngest.
“What would have happened if a Russian company had been a sponsor of the FFF? The players, as they are, would have had no way of refusing to promote that brand.”
It will be interested to see how this particular topic evolves in a time where players are taking more and more control of their image.
These days, clubs have to purchase imaging rights from players if they want to feature them in their own sponsorship campaigns.
That is not the case for national teams, who are never going to pay millions to players for their image.
But in a more conscious world when many players are careful not to represent the wrong companies, there must be a vehicle for them to have more control, even if it’s not the level of control they have at club level.
