The opening window of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League is drawing to a close. On Matchday 4, France host Belgium, but Les Bleus will be without star forward Kylian Mbappe for this marquee fixture.
During France’s 1–0 victory over Turkiye on foreign soil, Mbappe suffered a hyperextension of his left knee shortly after scoring the winning goal. He was substituted immediately following the incident.
Following medical evaluation, the French Football Federation confirmed he would return to Spain to recover and prepare for Real Madrid’s upcoming fixtures, ruling him out for the remainder of this international break.
Who will replace Kylian Mbappe against Belgium?
In their previous outing against Italy, head coach Zinedine Zidane deployed Desire Doue on the wing and moved Ousmane Dembele into a central attacking role, with Michael Olise completing the front line.
Kylian Mbappe #10 of France.
While Mbappe offers unmatched power and dynamic scoring, the attacking trident of Olise, Dembele, and Doue remains a formidable threat for any opponent. Against Belgium, France require a victory to secure top spot in Group A1.
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Fortunately, Mbappe’s injury is not believed to be severe. Having already returned to Madrid, the forward is expected to be fit in time for Real Madrid’s La Liga clash against Villarreal on October 10.
