Kylian Mbappe may miss until quarterfinals, a major blow to France’s Euro 2024 hopes

Kylian Mbappe might be sidelined until the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after suffering a severe nose injury during France’s opening match against Austria on Monday (June 17), as reported by The Guardian. With two more group stage matches ahead, Mbappe’s absence means Les Bleus will need to find alternative strategies to maintain their performance.

Although Mbappe is hopeful for a swift return, the French Football Federation (FFF) is working on procuring a custom-made mask for him after deciding against immediate surgery.

“Regarding his participation in the rest of the tournament, it’s too early to make a definitive decision. The updates from the medical team are mostly positive, and fortunately, surgery is not required, which means he is not entirely ruled out for the rest of the competition,” stated FFF president Philippe Diallo on Tuesday.

Mbappe’s injury occurred following a collision with Austria and Lens defender Kevin Danso in the second half when France was leading 1-0.

Post-accident, Mbappe was taken to the hospital, where examinations indicated that while the injury was not extremely serious, it would still necessitate a significant recovery time.

Despite the setback, the newly-signed Real Madrid player maintained a positive outlook, humorously engaging with fans on X (formerly Twitter) by asking for suggestions for the type of mask he should wear upon his return to the field. He posted: “Any ideas for masks?”

Roy Keane Criticizes Mbappe
While fans showed sympathy for Mbappe’s injury, former Manchester United player and pundit Roy Keane criticized his actions on the field.

After receiving medical attention, Mbappe briefly left the pitch, leaving France to defend with ten men. However, he soon returned and sat down, causing the game to pause. The referee issued him a yellow card for delaying the game.

“He gets an injury, and it’s frustrating he’s gone back on the pitch. Whether he’s trying to stop the play or not, but then he sits on the pitch. I don’t like to see this; it’s out of order. Whether instructed by the manager or not, he’s had treatment and come off,” Keane commented on ITV.

“I don’t mind him going back on the pitch; players can make mistakes. But to sit on the pitch after re-entering, he deserved the yellow card. I don’t like to see it. It’s not good gamesmanship,” he added.

France will next face the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday (June 21) before concluding their Group D matches against Poland in Dortmund the following week.