Kylian Mbappé has raised fresh injury concerns in France and at Real Madrid after suffering pain in his left knee during France’s match against Turkey.
The Real Madrid forward scored the decisive goal in the 54th minute of France’s UEFA Nations League fixture, but his celebration was quickly overshadowed by an apparent injury scare.
Mbappé collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area from the left before pulling back his leg to take the shot. After making contact with the ball, the France captain appeared to feel discomfort in his standing leg.
He briefly jumped following the strike and initially continued celebrating before stopping and showing signs of pain.
France’s medical team immediately came onto the pitch to assess the forward. Mbappé attempted to continue after the examination, but he went down again when he tried to make his first run.
The forward subsequently called for a substitution, with Désiré Doué replacing him.
Mbappé was visibly distressed as he covered his face with his hands while leaving the pitch, increasing concerns over the seriousness of the injury.
Mbappé’s left knee raises fresh concern
The latest incident is particularly concerning because Mbappé has previously experienced problems with the same left knee.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the forward was forced to stop twice last season because of issues involving the knee. The report also raised questions about an earlier medical assessment of the injury.
The extent of Mbappé’s latest problem remains unclear pending further medical examinations.
For Real Madrid, the situation will be closely monitored as the club awaits a definitive assessment of the France captain’s condition and an indication of how long he could be unavailable.