Mbappé to leave France camp after knee problem in 1-0 Nations League win over Turkey

Kylian Mbappé sustained a left-knee injury after scoring the winner in France’s 1-0 Nations League victory over Turkey on Friday at Kocaeli Stadium in İzmit and will leave the squad, an outcome that has clouded Zinedine Zidane’s coaching debut.

Mbappé’s strike arrived in the 54th minute, a low shot set up by Michael Olise that gave France the decisive goal; it was his 67th for the national team, setting a new record for France. The Real Madrid forward sat on the turf immediately after the effort, rubbing his left knee and grimacing, and appeared to hurt himself without a forced challenge from an opponent. He initially received treatment and returned to the field but soon went down again and required substitution.

After coming off the pitch, Mbappé was able to leave under his own power and was replaced by Désiré Doué. Team staff had put him back on briefly following treatment before the player fell again and could not continue. Observers noted he reacted sharply to the shot, indicating immediate pain.

“No, it’s not good. It’s not good, unfortunately,” Zidane told French television. “He (Mbappe) will have to go back. We will not take risks, he has extended his knee when he took the shot. It’s not very encouraging.”

The French Football Federation said Mbappé “suffered a tendon injury and will miss the rest of the camp.” Madrid-based journalist Arancha Rodríguez added that the player has sustained a hyperextension injury and estimated a recovery time of around two weeks, writing: Mbappé sufre una hiperextensión de la cápsula posterior de la rodilla izquierda. Alrededor de dos semanas de baja.

Zidane started Mbappé on the left wing, with Olise on the opposite flank and Ousmane Dembré joining Rayan Cherki to form France’s attacking quartet. The match featured a scrappy opening and several mishandled passes from both sides, with the uneven playing surface at Kocaeli Stadium in İzmit cited as a contributing factor.

During this international window France will play three more Nations League games: two against Belgium and one against Italy. Those fixtures are scheduled to take place after the Turkey match.