France forward Kylian Mbappe faced a setback on Friday, September 25, when he suffered an injury while netting the opening goal against Turkey during their UEFA Nations League match at the Turka Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadium. The France captain, who found the back of the net nine minutes into the second half following a goalless opening period, required medical attention on the touchline shortly after his goal. Despite attempting to play on, he eventually signaled to the bench that he was unable to continue, leading to his substitution for Desire Doue just before the hour mark. However, the breakthrough came at a cost, as the Real Madrid marksman went off with an injury, replaced by Desire Doue.
Footage shared by Madrid Zone captured the striker’s visible frustration as he hobbled off the pitch. Discussing the aftermath, manager Zinedine Zidane confirmed that the player is set to return to Real Madrid, noting that the initial prognosis regarding his fitness does not look promising. Consequently, it is unlikely that Mbappe will be available for France’s upcoming fixture against Belgium on Monday, September 28.
Despite the injury, the victory provided a successful start to Zinedine Zidane’s tenure as France coach. The match saw Turkey reduced to ten men after Ugurcan Cakir was shown a red card seven minutes before time, helping the visitors secure their narrow win. This result contributes to a productive season for the Frenchman, who has now scored nine goals in as many matches across all competitions for club and country, including a notable 10-goal performance during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They held on for a narrow win to herald the Zidane era on a victorious note, while Les Bleus couldn’t find a second goal.
Mbappe had previously enjoyed a strong start to the 2026-27 domestic campaign, recording eight goals and two assists in eight appearances for Real Madrid. His contributions include seven goals and two assists in La Liga, where Jose Mourinho’s side currently sits in fourth place. Additionally, he scored in Real Madrid’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan earlier this season. Where Jose Mourinho’s side are fourth, six points behind leaders Barcelona after seven games, seven of those strikes and both assists have come in seven outings in La Liga. The Frenchman’s other goal in club football this campaign came in Jose Mourinho’s side’s 2-1 campaign-opening win in the UEFA Champions League at home over 2010 treble-winners Inter Milan.
