Kevin Mbabu wants to return to the national team: ‘I deserve another chance’

The fateful card game

The trouble started in June 2022. As part of a Nati meeting in Geneva, Mbabu was caught playing cards in the lobby with Jordan Lotomba. The two then found themselves in the stands against Portugal, “as a one-off disciplinary measure”, as Murat Yakin explained months later.

Mbabu was initially left out of the national team and after moving from Wolfsburg to Fulham he was unable to gain a foothold in London. His second attempt in England after his guest appearance in Newcastle (2013 to 2016) was also not a success story. «The beginning was good, I came on a few missions. But then came this match against Newcastle, which turned into a nightmare,” Mbabu told Blick.

After an early red card, Fulham trailed 3-0 at halftime. Mbabu was substituted and subsequently no longer played a role in coach Marco Silva’s considerations. “I didn’t fit the profile the coach was looking for. I am an instinctive player who needs my freedom. It just didn’t fit.”

The result: Mbabu missed the World Cup in Qatar despite missing full-backs. “A huge disappointment.” After reaching a dead end in Fulham, he returned to Switzerland. He wanted to revive his career at his boyhood club Servette – and he succeeded. “The five months were very good for me, both mentally and physically.”

Return to old strength

The move to Augsburg followed in the summer. Mbabu fought for a permanent place and returned to his old strength under coach Jess Thorup on the right side. He caused danger with his flank runs and recently prepared a goal against Gladbach (2:1) and Bayern Munich (2:3).

He is not yet at 100 percent, but the form curve is pointing in the right direction, according to Mbabu. “I want to show those responsible at Fulham that it may have been a mistake to let me go.” He wants to prove to the SFV and Yakin that he will no longer be able to be ignored in the national team in the future. The last time he had contact with the national coach was when he informed him that he could not go to the World Cup in Qatar.

Mbabu is now back on the SFV’s radar. If he continues to play as well as he has in recent weeks, Yakin should be able to use him again in the friendlies in Denmark and Ireland in March. Mbabu said it makes him proud to play for Switzerland. “I want to prove to the people in Switzerland that I still have the level and that I deserve a new chance in the national team. Because I miss this.”