France’s Kylian Mbappe with coach Didier Deschamps during training session. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
France captain Kylian Mbappe sustained a broken nose during a collision with Austrian defender Kevin Danso in Monday’s 1-0 victory. As a result, Mbappe missed most of Wednesday's group training session, just two days before France's crucial Euro 2024 match against the Netherlands in Leipzig.
The injury occurred late in the game against Austria when Mbappe's nose collided violently with Danso's shoulder. Despite the injury, Mbappe played a pivotal role in France's win, provoking the own goal by Maximilian Woeber that decided the match. He left the field with his shirt covered in blood.
The 25-year-old forward was absent at the beginning of the team’s training session on Wednesday. He later appeared on the field with a plaster on his nose and trained individually with a fitness coach. After some short passes, he joined his teammates for a shooting drill.
The French coaching staff mentioned on Tuesday that Mbappe's participation in the upcoming match against the Netherlands was still uncertain. The French Football Federation reported that Mbappe had undergone medical tests at a hospital in Duesseldorf before rejoining his teammates at their base in Paderborn. They confirmed that he would not need surgery and would be fitted with a mask to allow him to return to play after a brief treatment period.
If Mbappe is unable to play, Olivier Giroud, France's all-time leading goalscorer, is expected to take his place in Friday’s match. Both France and the Netherlands are currently leading Group D, having won their opening matches. The Netherlands defeated Poland 2-1 on Sunday, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash between the group leaders.
