After a detailed examination by the national team doctor, no major issues were found with Julien.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Julien knew he was fine—he had simply used this as an excuse to avoid training. Of course, this wasn't about dodging practice.
If he had continued training, he worried he might seriously injure Nasri, and that would have escalated things considerably.
He could afford to be willful, but he wouldn't cause trouble for others.
Zidane, Henry, and others had publicly supported him.
If such a vicious incident had erupted during the first training session, it would have affected their reputations as well.
But that didn't mean he was going to let this matter slide.
The next three days of training proceeded as usual.
Blanc deliberately moved De Rocca to a different group to train with Giroud, who was already accustomed to working with him.
Giroud discovered that Julien's ball control in tight spaces was incredibly strong—this type of player was simply the perfect partner for a striker.
"Any thoughts about transferring when the season ends? You could come to Montpellier—we'll still be tearing through Ligue 1 next season!" Giroud extended an invitation during a break.
"Give it your all this season. I hope to see news of you winning the championship at the end of the season," Julien said sincerely.
Montpellier, from France's southern coast, was one of the founding teams of Ligue 1, but had never had much of a presence before. Last season, this relegation-battling team had finished only 14th, just three points above the relegation zone.
However, this season they had suddenly exploded!
The previously unknown Giroud had been leading the Ligue 1 scoring charts, which successfully impressed Blanc enough to call him up to the national team.
Besides Giroud's breakout performance, Montpellier's current head coach René Girard had built an iron defense for the team—they were currently the team that had conceded the fewest goals in Ligue 1.
Currently, many Ligue 1 fans were waiting to see who would ultimately claim the championship.
After being taken over by financial backers, PSG had been waving their checkbook around, creating a dream lineup for Ligue 1.
Traditional powerhouses like Lyon, Lille, and Marseille had all fallen behind.
Instead, it was Montpellier, a relegation-fighting team, that had become this season's Ligue 1 dark horse.
The thought flashed through his mind as Julien joked, "If Bastia weren't so poor, I'd definitely suggest the club buy you."
Giroud smiled shyly, and after they chatted for a few more minutes, unrestrained laughter from Nasri, Ben Arfa, and others could be heard from another area of the training ground.
Thinking about the scene of Julien being slide-tackled by Nasri, Giroud quietly said to him, "You're young, so be careful. Don't let them scheme against you. These guys are experts at those dirty tricks."
"Thanks."
Julien narrowed his eyes as he looked toward Nasri and the others, already calculating in his mind.
On February 6th, Friday afternoon, after training ended, the first team was given a day off.
Nasri and the others were already boasting about where they were going to have fun.
After packing up his things, Julien walked to the entrance of Clairefontaine—he was going to Mbappé's house.
This had been arranged in a phone call with Mbappé a couple of days earlier. Mbappé's father, Wilfried, had warmly invited him to visit their home for dinner.
Julien understood Mbappé's future potential, but Mbappé's parents saw Julien's present reality.
Both parties had found common ground.
At the entrance.
Mbappé waved at him from a distance. "Julien!"
Beside him stood Wilfried.
After getting in the car, Mbappé hadn't stopped talking, constantly chattering about Julien being selected for the national team, expressing his amazement.
"Oh, I first saw you at the U21 level, and I never expected that without playing a single official match, you'd go straight to the national team. My God, that's rocket speed!
Oh wait, French rockets aren't fast enough—they often fall down, and then French officials make faces like people being chased by debt collectors. Oh, sorry, I'm heartbroken, but I have no money, and then the plan is to continue raising taxes."
Mbappé spoke nonstop enthusiastically.
Julien listened the whole time, barely able to get a word in, though it did make the journey less boring.
Wilfried drove toward the northeastern suburbs of Paris.
Going directly through the Porte de Pantin in Paris's 19th arrondissement, less than ten kilometers away, they reached Bondy in the central-eastern part of Seine-Saint-Denis.
This was where Mbappé was born and had lived since childhood.
Currently, the Mbappé family was planning to move to central Paris once Mbappé signed his professional contract.
In downtown Bondy.
A quiet tree-lined street with a sign reading "Rue des Lilas," leading to number 4.
Wilfried parked the car.
"Julien, we're here!" Mbappé agilely got out of the car.
Julien followed suit.
Ethan and Jirès were already waiting by the roadside.
Seeing him, Jirès greeted him, "Hey, Julien, welcome."
Julien also high-fived Jirès.
The two had gotten to know each other through their encounter in the French Cup, and with Mbappé as a connection, they had developed a good relationship.
Six-year-old Ethan looked up at Julien and said. "You're the guy who beat Jirès. Hey, you're really amazing! Jirès says you'll become France's next Henry-like player. Kylian also says you're very, very good."
Julien crouched down to look at Ethan, and playfully teased him. "No, I won't become Henry. My name is Julien De Rocca, but you're right—I am amazing. In the future, people will say 'you play like De Rocca' to describe a young player as a genius."
"Wow, then you really are amazing." Ethan's mind hadn't quite processed this, and seeing his bewildered expression, everyone laughed.
The commotion at the Mbappé house had attracted the attention of downstairs neighbors.
A couple came out, and Wilfried introduced them to Julien as the Ermiler and Pierre Ricqlef couple. They had moved into this five-story building even before their family.
The couple smiled when they saw Julien. "Oh, I recognize you! That kid from Bastia—I saw you in the French Cup!"
After some conversation, the group finally went upstairs.
Julien had thought that Mbappé brother's talkativeness was quite good and it seemed to be inherited from there father.
However, after entering this fifty-square-meter home and meeting Mbappé's mother, Fayza, he changed his mind. Well, this was clearly their mother's influence.
Fayza was even more talkative than Mbappe brothers.
Julien's arrival made the small home feel crowded.
While waiting for dinner to begin, Mbappé brought Julien to his and Ethan's bedroom.
In the small bedroom, the walls were completely covered with posters, and what surprised Julien was that his own poster was also on the wall.
The image looked fairly recent.
It showed Julien with his arms spread wide, celebrating a goal.
Seeing Julien examining the poster, Mbappé looked somewhat embarrassed. "You're my idol, inspiring me just like Cristiano."
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