Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – The French Football Federation announced, on Tuesday, that it will review its agreement with the players of the French national team, regarding the use of their images and rights.
This came following Paris Saint-Germain star and France national team star Kylian Mbappe boycotted sponsorship activities, including a photo session, scheduled for Tuesday, during the French team’s training camp at Clairefontaine Center.
CNN has reached out to Kylian Mbappe’s representatives for comment.
“I decided not to participate in the photo session, following the French Federation refused to change the photo rights agreement with the players,” Mbappe said in a statement to ESPN, adding: “My representative and I regret that no agreement was reached before the World Cup.”
The French Football Federation issued a statement on Twitter, saying: “The federation looks forward to working on the outlines of a new agreement, which will enable it to protect its interests, taking into account the legitimate concerns and condemnations expressed by the players unanimously.”
“After critical discussions with France’s national team executives, president, coach and marketing director, the French Football Federation is committed, as soon as possible, to reviewing the image rights agreement that links it to the national team players,” the statement added.
The dispute between Kylian Mbappe and Al-Ittihad began last March, when the player boycotted activities with one of the team’s sponsors, according to French media sources.
Three months later, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet told the French newspaper L’Equipe that “the agreement on image rights will not change before the World Cup”, but the federation decided to review this decision.
Earlier in the year, Mbappe was in the middle of a transfer battle between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but the issue of image rights played an important role once once more.
And in the fourth offer from the Spanish club to the French star, he was offered 50% of the profits from his image rights, a condition that helped return the striker’s preference to Paris Saint-Germain, who offered a more profitable percentage, according to what was reported from sources close to the player, and according to the “El País” website. The Spaniard.
It is noteworthy that France will play, next Thursday, with Austria in the European Nations League, and then with Denmark three days later.
