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Mbappe ruled out of France squad after suffering knee injury
26th September, 2026 09:08 AM
France captain Kylian Mbappe has left the national team camp and returned to Real Madrid for treatment after suffering a knee injury during the Nations League encounter against Turkey on Friday, September 25, 2026.
The Real Madrid forward sustained the injury while scoring the winning goal in France’s 1-0 victory over Turkey, giving new coach Zinedine Zidane a concern despite securing victory in his first match in charge.
Mbappe found the net in the 67th minute with his right foot, but appeared to land awkwardly on his left leg during the move.
The 27-year-old attempted to celebrate before appearing to experience significant discomfort. He held his left knee and eventually went down before receiving medical attention.
The incident occurred on a pitch that had drawn criticism during the match over its condition.
Zidane concerned about Mbappe’s condition
Zidane admitted after the match that the injury could be serious and confirmed that Mbappe would not continue with the squad during the current international window.
France are scheduled to face Belgium and Italy, but Mbappe will miss both matches as he returns to Madrid for further assessment and treatment.
Speaking to TF1, Zidane said: “He’s not OK. It does not look good, unfortunately. I think he’ll have to go home. We won’t take risks. He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not really encouraging for him to carry on.”
The France coach also stressed that there was no intention of taking unnecessary risks with the Real Madrid star, particularly with a demanding club schedule awaiting him.
French federation confirms tendon injury
The French Football Federation later confirmed that Mbappe had suffered a tendon problem in his left knee.
The federation said the injury occurred during the decisive goal against Turkey and that the forward would return to Madrid to receive treatment.
“Kylian Mbappe injured his knee during his winning strike. He is suffering from a tendon injury and will return to Madrid for treatment.”
France face Mbappe absence
Mbappe’s withdrawal leaves France without their captain and leading attacking option for the remainder of the international break.
Zidane’s side have a demanding schedule ahead, including a meeting with Belgium followed by fixtures against Italy and another encounter with Belgium in early October.
The absence of Mbappe could force Zidane to make changes to his attacking options as he continues shaping the team at the start of his tenure.
France will now await further medical assessments from Real Madrid before determining the full extent of Mbappe’s injury and how long he could be sidelined.
