With Kylian Mbappe facing widespread criticism in his native France, a major brand partner of the national team has fuelled tensions by claiming they feel a "lovelessness" towards the Real Madrid superstar.
The 25-year-old has been the subject of much criticism in recent times after he was omitted from the current France squad for the UEFA Nations League.
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Mbappe missed both matches against Israel and Belgium, with the player reportedly opted to not be included due to a recent return from injury.
Questions over the extent of his injury were raised after he featured as a substitute in Real's shock UEFA Champions League defeat to Lille on 2 October and again when he started a LALIGA clash against Villarreal just three days later.
Matters were made worse when the former Paris Saint-Germain star was spotted in a nightclub in Sweden last Friday, the same night France beat Israel 4-1.
His commitment to Les Bleus has since come under the spotlight, and it now seems that sponsors are also not entirely happy with him despite him being the national team captain.
"[Antoine] Griezmann's retirement is harmful because people were unanimous about him," an unnamed France brand partner told L'Equipe.
"We feel a lovelessness towards Mbappe. He doesn't bring people together.
"We note it in the engagement around our campaigns."
Although Mbappe's name remains the most printed shirt sales, the sponsor added that players such as Aurelien Tchouameni, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele all have the potential to be prominent in France's merchandising campaigns in the future.
Elsewhere, French pundit Daniel Riolo has insisted it was a mistake to make Mbappe the France skipper.
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"If I were in Deschamps' position with Mbappe, I think I'd have done the same thing," Riolo told RMC Sport.
"But now, looking back, I realise making him captain was a mistake.
"As for PSG, though, I wouldn't have handled it like Nasser Al-Khelaifi. I wouldn't have given Mbappé that much power, rejected the offers, or stopped him from leaving.
"But with Deschamps and the captaincy, I probably would've made the same call – and gotten it wrong."