Kylian Mbappe’s participation at this summer’s Euro 2024 was thrown into doubt after the France captain suffered a broken nose in their opening fixture.
The forward, involved in the game’s only goal as Didier Deschamps’ side beat Austria 1-0, picked up the injury in the dying minutes in Dusseldorf on Monday night.
After lengthy treatment on the pitch, he was subbed off and headed down the tunnel in worrying scenes for Les Bleus’ players and fans.
The Real Madrid forward headed straight to hospital to assess the injury and figure out if surgery was required.
Here’s everything we know about the injury so far…
How did Mbappe get injured?
Mbappe broke his nose in the 86th minute of France’s game against Austria on Monday night. The 25-year-old won a header against Kevin Danso but his head went on to collide with the defender’s left shoulder, resulting in the injury.
After the game, French manager Deschamps said Mbappe’s injury – and potential absence from the tournament – would be a big blow for his side.
‘I’m not going to go into hypotheses, but I’ll say what I’ve always said: The French team with Kylian will always be stronger, the national squad will always be stronger with him,’ he said.
‘But if, and I use your ‘if’, the news doesn’t go along these lines, we’ll have to be without him. But Kylian is Kylian, and any team he’s in, the squad is always much stronger.’
How long does a broken nose take to heal?
According to various health websites, the swelling from a fractured nose can ease in a few days, although it can take between 2-3 weeks to fully heal.
However, while wearing a protective mask, Mbappe should be able to return to action sooner than the recommended 2-3 week timeline.
France’s next Euro 2024 fixtures
Fri June 21 – Netherlands (Red Bull Arena, Leipzig)
Tue June 25 – Poland (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund)
Will he still be able to compete in Euro 2024?
Although France are yet to confirm a timeline for his return, it is likely that Mbappe will still be able to play a part in Euro 2024.
Les Bleus face a quick turnaround for their next fixture on Friday against the Netherlands, with Mbappe still likely to be a huge doubt for that clash.
Their final group-stage game comes against Poland the following Tuesday, while their first knockout match – should they make it out of their group – is expected to be on Monday July 1 or Tuesday July 2.
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