Kylian Mbappé Misses France Training Ahead of UEFA Nations League

Kylian Mbappé sat out France training on Tuesday, staying indoors at Clairefontaine as the rest of the squad worked under new manager Zinédine Zidane.

According to L'Équipe, the France captain is suffering from cold-like symptoms and remained at the Château de Clairefontaine while his teammates trained ahead of Friday night’s UEFA Nations League opener against Turkiye. He was the only member of the 23-man squad not involved in the session.

Mbappé did take part on Monday, when Zidane oversaw his first training session as Les Bleus boss, and France will hope the Real Madrid forward recovers quickly with a demanding international window ahead. After Turkiye, France are due to face Belgium twice and Italy during this break.

The stakes around his fitness are obvious. Last summer, during the FIFA World Cup, Mbappé overtook Olivier Giroud to become France’s all-time leading scorer, underlining his status as the focal point of this team.

There is also a tactical subplot. RMC Sport reports that Zidane is considering shifting Mbappé back to the left side of the attack, a role in which he has often thrived, which could open the door for Ousmane Dembélé to operate through the middle.

For now, all eyes are on the château. France can live without their star for a training session. Can they afford to do so when the Nations League kicks off on Friday?