Kylian Mbappe’s Fitness Concerns Ahead of Euro 2024 Opener
Kylian Mbappe missed France’s open training session on Thursday, sparking concerns about his fitness as the team gears up for Euro 2024. The French forward, who recently suffered a knee injury, is facing uncertainty regarding his readiness for the upcoming tournament.
Mbappe sustained a knee injury during France’s 3-0 victory over Luxembourg earlier this month. He was limited to a brief appearance off the bench in the subsequent match against Canada. After that game, France’s manager Didier Deschamps revealed that Mbappe was struggling with “significant bruising” on his knee.
Fans are anxious about Mbappe’s condition as France prepares for their Euro 2024 opener against Austria on Monday. His absence from Thursday’s public training session has only heightened these concerns. According to reports from L’Equipe, no official explanation was provided for Mbappe’s absence. Insiders suggest that the future Real Madrid star was held back to prevent further injury.
The French team has recently been dealing with a virus outbreak affecting several players. Winger Kingsley Coman also missed Thursday’s session due to illness, and Liverpool’s center-back Ibrahima Konate had to leave training early after showing symptoms of the virus. Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni also exited the session prematurely, although this was part of his recovery plan following a foot injury that had previously cast doubt on his participation in the tournament.
Euro 2024 marks Mbappe’s debut as the captain of the French national team, a role the 25-year-old is still adjusting to. In an interview with Ouest-France, Mbappe discussed his evolving responsibilities as captain.
“What do I expect from myself? To help my team,” he said. “I think I’m still learning my role as captain. Honestly, it’s tough being such a high-profile captain. I take up a lot of space.
“I try to give as much light as possible to others so that everyone has their space because I will not win alone.
“I want to be happy, too. Let the group be happy. And we win, of course. That’s why we play. With France, I won the Nations League and the World Cup. I only have the Euro left. The last edition was difficult, so winning this one would give me immense pleasure.”
Mbappe’s fitness and his new leadership role are critical for France’s performance in Euro 2024. As the tournament approaches, fans and teammates alike are hopeful that their star player will make a full recovery and lead the team to success.