A new clash between the French Football Federation and the national team appears to be taking shape regarding the use of players’ images for commercial purposes.
The discontent in the team was caused by an advertisement for a betting company featuring five footballers, including captain Kylian Mbappe.
This is because the advertisement may be contrary to the agreement reached between the players and the federation in 2023, writes L’Équipe.
The contested advertising of the betting company
The French daily has revealed that online betting company Betclic released an advert last week ahead of the friendly match against Ivory Coast. It features Kylian Mbappe, Michael Oliseh, Ousmane Dembele, Désiré Doué and Rayan Cherki.
According to the report, the players were not informed about how the footage taken during the photoshoot would be used. Mbappe and Cherki are said to have been among the most critical of this action and have openly expressed their dissatisfaction.
The problem is that the ad may not be in line with the terms of the 2023 agreement reached between the players’ lawyers and the French Football Federation. With the World Cup approaching, the parties are expected to seek a solution after the tournament.
Mbappe’s long-standing opposition
This is not Mbappe’s first conflict with the federation over sponsorship issues. The French captain has previously expressed his opposition to players’ image being linked to certain companies.
“We disagreed on some things, like brands associated with unhealthy food and gambling. Many of us come from neighborhoods where such things have destroyed many people. I myself know people who have suffered because of them,” he told Canal Plus.
His lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, had also raised similar concerns.
“There is a great risk of damaging the image of footballers. Their reputation is linked to certain values and these values are also transmitted through the advertisements they agree to promote,” she had said.
Issues still open before the trip to the USA
The federation has respected part of the agreement, which stipulates that at least five players be featured in such advertisements.
However, the agreement also stipulates that the team captains and the federation president meet at least twice during the season to assess whether the sponsors are in line with the values and image that the players wish to transmit.
In addition, the French national team has still not resolved the issue of bonuses for the World Cup, as well as the number of tickets intended for the players’ families, which the footballers consider insufficient.
These remain two sensitive topics that are expected to be discussed and resolved before the team leaves for the United States.
