Former AS Monaco, AC Milan and Rangers striker Mark Hateley has told NetBet Sport – which will soon be the home of 2026 World Cup betting – that he believes Kylian Mbappe will never command the same respect in the eyes of the French public as the likes of Zinedine Zidane.
Real Madrid forward Mbappe has dominated front pages in Spain since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain – and quite a lot of the time it has been for the wrong reasons, such as behaivoural issues. And his attitude has not gone down well with Los Blancos supporters, with a recent ‘Mbappe Out’ online petition receiving over 70 million signatures.
Hateley believes Mbappe’s behaviour off the field is just one of many reasons why he will never command as much respect as France and Real Madrid legend, Zinedine Zidane.
Hateley: Mbappe is a nightmare for a manager
“Kylian Mbappe was frequently falling out with members of staff at PSG, and that behaviour has just followed him to Real Madrid,” he told NetBet, who offer a wide range of football odds on Ligue 1 and La Liga fixtures.
“Vinicius Jr’s numbers aren’t as good as they were without Mbappe being at the club, so you can see the difficult effect of handling a ‘superstar’ with an ego as big as Mbappe’s.
“This has happened on multiple occasions. He’s gone to Real Madrid, and how many major trophies has he won? Zero. He must be a nightmare for a manager to handle.
“I used to live in France, and I don’t think Mbappe will ever have the same respect from the French public as the likes of Zinedine Zidane. Zidane was an iconic figure who sustained his performances at club and national level throughout the whole of his career, and there were never these kinds of incidents off the pitch.
“Zidane was one of those great players and leaders who was well respected by all of the players. If you want to ask players about Mbappe, then away you go!”
Hateley: I don’t know why Arsenal sold Balogun
Hateley also discussed Monaco forward Folarin Balogun’s form this season, and said he can’t get his head around why Arsenal decided to cut ties with him.
Balogun, still only 24 years of age, netted five goals in 10 Champions League appearances – including a home brace vs Paris Saint-Germain in the play-off round, a tie which Monaco ultimately went on to lose 5-4 on aggregate.
Hateley added: “How did Arsenal let Folarin Balogun go? He was incredible at England U21 level. I think that some young players need to move away in order to make the most of their career, which is what he’s done at Monaco, but I can’t believe Arsenal let him slip through their fingers.
“It’s so frustrating that he’s now playing for the United States, because apart from Harry Kane, England don’t have a goalscoring centre-forward and could really use him in their squad.”
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.