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Mbappe's Deschamps plea: no crypto angle, just loyalty
Mbappe's public plea for Deschamps to stay is pure football. His Sorare past is a footnote, not a market mover. Here's why this isn't a crypto story.
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Kylian Mbappe, captain of France and Real Madrid forward, said something on June 11 that had nothing to do with crypto. He publicly urged coach Didier Deschamps not to take a coaching job in Italy after the 2026 World Cup. “I hope he doesn’t go on to coach another team at the World Cup… That would be ugly,” Mbappe said.
Deschamps has led France since 2012. His tenure includes a 2018 World Cup victory. He confirmed earlier this year he would step down after the 2026 tournament. Italian clubs have been reported as potential next destinations.
Mbappe’s crypto tie is limited to a 2022 partnership with Sorare, the NFT-based fantasy football platform. Sorare runs on Ethereum, letting users trade digital player cards as NFTs. Mbappe was one of several high-profile athletes, including Lionel Messi and Serena Williams, who signed on during the NFT boom. The deal was a sponsorship, not a token launch or blockchain integration of his image rights.
The Sorare partnership is now four years old. The platform’s own token, SORARE, does not trade on major exchanges. Mbappe has not been linked to any crypto activity since.