Kylian Mbappé Scare Ahead of Zinedine Zidane’s France Debut
The France captain missed training at Clairefontaine, leaving his availability for the clash with Türkiye dependent on his recovery.
Kylian Mbappé was unable to take part in France’s training session on Tuesday as Zinedine Zidane continued preparations for his first competitive match in charge. The captain of Les Bleus is dealing with flu-like symptoms and remained sidelined while the rest of the squad trained at Clairefontaine.
The timing could hardly be more inconvenient. France are just three days away from facing Türkiye in their UEFA Nations League opener, a match that will also mark Zidane’s official debut as France head coach. The game is scheduled for Friday, September 25 at 8:45 p.m. local time in Kocaeli.
For now, Mbappé has not been ruled out of the match. The Real Madrid forward’s availability will depend on how he responds over the coming days, beginning a race against time for France to recover their biggest attacking threat.
Zidane Hopes to Have His Captain Back
Mbappé’s condition carries additional significance because one of Zidane’s first major decisions after taking charge was to maintain the forward’s leadership role within the squad. When unveiling his first France roster, the new coach confirmed that Mbappé would remain captain of Les Bleus.
The striker had also expressed his excitement about working with Zidane for the first time at international level, highlighting the legendary former midfielder’s special status within French soccer.
That makes his absence particularly untimely. Zidane is preparing his first starting XI as France boss and still does not know whether his captain will be available as a highly anticipated new era begins.
A Demanding Schedule Awaits France
Mbappé’s illness also comes immediately before a particularly intense stretch for Les Bleus. France are scheduled to play four Nations League matches in just 11 days during this international window.
After visiting Türkiye on September 25, Zidane’s side will travel to Brussels to face Belgium on September 28. France will then host Italy on October 2 before facing Belgium again on October 5 at the Stade de France.
Zidane initially selected a 23-man squad for the four fixtures, with Guillaume Restes, Andy Diouf, Jérémy Jacquet, Lucas Da Cunha and Esteban Lepaul among the players receiving their first senior call-ups.
Will Kylian Mbappé Play Against Türkiye?
At this stage, France have not ruled Mbappé out of Friday’s game. The available information only confirms that flu-like symptoms prevented him from training with the squad on Tuesday.
The next training sessions should provide a clearer indication of whether the forward can rejoin the group and put himself in contention for Zidane’s first starting XI.
With the beginning of a new era only days away, all eyes in the France camp will be on Mbappé’s recovery before Les Bleus travel to Türkiye.
Key Takeaways
- Kylian Mbappé missed France training on Tuesday due to flu-like symptoms.
- Zinedine Zidane will make his competitive debut as France coach against Türkiye on September 25.
- Mbappé remains France captain and has not yet been ruled out of the Nations League opener.
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