Kylian Mbappe has formally taken over free-kick duties from Antoine Griezmann for the France national team, according to reports, despite the fact he has never scored a single direct-free-kick in his professional career to date.
The 22-year-old forward, who has been involved in a public spat with international teammate Olivier Giroud in recent weeks, stepped up to take a free-kick during the country's European Championship clash against Hungary on Saturday afternoon.
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And it appears those duties have become permanent, according to RMC.
The claims suggest Griezmann - who scored seven free-kick goals in 39 attempts during his spell at Atletico Madrid - will continue to take free-kicks that are 'intended as crosses' but the Paris Saint-Germain forward will step up when a goal-scoring opportunity arises.
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It's a decision that has raised plenty of eyebrows amongst fans, especially considering Mbappe has yet to score a professional goal from a free-kick, while players like Lucas Digne - who is renowned for his delivery from set-pieces - continue to be overlooked.
Carl-Oscar Källström, a contributor for @psgtalk, was just one of many fans who questioned the decision.
"The fact that Mbappé is on free kicks for France says a lot about his status in the squad," he wrote on Twitter. "He is not a great long-range shooter and not a good free-kick taker. They have Griezmann, Pogba, Digne and Benzema in the team."
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He wasn't the only one.
Thoughts on Mbappe taking over free-kick duties for France? Should someone else be stepping up?
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Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Football, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, France
