Mbappé leaves France camp with knee tendon injury after scoring in Zidane’s first game
Kylian Mbappé scored the winner in Türkiye but hurt his left knee doing it and is heading back to Real Madrid for tests.
Kylian Mbappé has left the France squad with a left knee tendon injury suffered in the act of scoring the goal that won Zinedine Zidane’s first match in charge.
Winner, then worry
France beat Türkiye 1-0 in İzmit on Friday night to open their Nations League campaign. Mbappé settled it early in the second half, drilling a low shot home after a pass from Michael Olise. It was his 67th goal for his country, extending his own national record.
The celebrations did not last. Mbappé sat down almost immediately, clutching his left knee. No opponent was near him; the problem came as he struck the ball. He was treated, tried to carry on, then went down again and was replaced by Désiré Doué. He walked off without help.
The French Football Federation later confirmed a tendon injury and said the Real Madrid forward would miss the rest of the camp and return to Madrid.
| Result | Türkiye 0-1 France |
| Competition | Nations League A |
| Goal | Kylian Mbappé, early second half (assist: Olise) |
| Mbappé France goals | 67 (national record) |
| Injury | Left knee tendon (FFF) |
| Replaced by | Désiré Doué |
| Red card | Uğurcan Çakır (Türkiye), 87 min |
| France still to play this window | Belgium (twice) and Italy |
Zidane: “It’s not good”
Zidane did not hide his concern. Speaking to French television, he said the news was not good and not encouraging, explaining that Mbappé had over-extended his knee as he shot. “We will not take risks,” he said.
Otherwise it was a satisfying debut for the former Real Madrid coach. Mike Maignan made a fine one-handed save from İsmail Yüksek’s header, and Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off late on for handling outside his area to stop Bradley Barcola. Zidane said he was delighted with the win after only three or four training sessions, and praised his side’s balance whenever they lost the ball.
More on DSN: France v Italy preview: Zidane faces his old rivals with top spot on the line, Ronaldo quits Portugal camp after Jorge Jesus says he won’t start against Denmark and Nico Schlotterbeck ruled out for Germany after new ankle injury.
Our sister site DGBN has also covered Bradley Barcola’s move from PSG to Liverpool.
What it means for Real Madrid
Mbappé will be assessed by Real Madrid’s medical staff, and the club is expected to give an update once tests are complete. Until then there is no official timescale.
According to reports in Spain and France, there is a real chance he will miss club matches after the international break as well as France’s three remaining Nations League fixtures. That would be a heavy blow for Madrid, for whom Mbappé has been the main source of goals this season.
For France, Zidane must now reshape an attack that started with Mbappé on the left, Olise on the right and Ousmane Dembélé and Rayan Cherki alongside them. Doué and Barcola are the obvious candidates to step in.
