Kylian Mbappé, France captain and Real Madrid forward, left the match against Turkey with pain in his left knee after scoring France’s 1-0 winning goal on Friday in the Nations League, during Zinedine Zidane’s first match as France manager. Mbappé scored in the 55th minute after receiving a pass from Michael Olise and sending a low shot into the net.
Knee pain emerges as Mbappé tries to continue
After the goal, the France forward sat on the pitch showing signs of pain while holding the area around his left knee, according to the Associated Press. He received treatment on the pitch and tried to continue, but went down again about a minute later, Reuters reported.
Zidane was then forced to make a substitution in the 58th minute, just three minutes after the opening goal. French outlet Foot Mercato reported that Désiré Doué came on for Mbappé, who left the pitch in pain and went straight to the dressing room.
It added that the player is expected to undergo tests in the coming hours to determine the nature of the injury, while the possible length of his absence will depend on the results of the medical assessment. France held on to their lead until the final whistle in the match in the Turkish city of İzmit, giving Zidane a winning start with the national team. The captain’s injury, however, raises questions about his fitness for upcoming fixtures.
