The night started brightly for Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé at the Santiago Bernabéu. Los Blancos led 3–1 against Villarreal, bouncing back from last week’s derby defeat to Atlético Madrid and temporarily reclaiming the top spot in LaLiga, at least until Barcelona’s match against Sevilla.
Mbappé had already added his name to the scoresheet with a sharp finish off a Brahim Díaz assist, continuing his electric start to life in Spain. But joy quickly turned to concern when the French superstar limped off late in the second half with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
In the 83rd minute, Mbappé signaled to the bench after feeling discomfort in his right ankle. He was immediately replaced by Rodrygo Goes, leaving the Bernabéu crowd momentarily stunned.
Head coach Xabi Alonso addressed the situation after the game, offering cautious optimism but no guarantees: “Kylian had some discomfort in his ankle. We’ll monitor his progress as he joins the national team and hope there’s no serious issue.”
Kylian Mbappe will seek to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in order to lift his second World Cup trophy.
According to L’Équipe, the Frenchman “suffered a mild sprain in his right ankle,” though the injury is not considered severe. Still, his status remains uncertain for France’s upcoming UEFA World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan at the Parc des Princes and Iceland in Reykjavik.
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Mbappé’s potential absence is a major concern for Didier Deschamps, who relies heavily on his captain for both leadership and goals. French outlet Foot Mercato added to the uncertainty, reporting: “Will Kylian Mbappé have to withdraw from France’s training camp? The next few hours should clarify. After scoring again against Villarreal, the forward left the pitch visibly in pain.”
Should he be sidelined, France may need to rely on Ousmane Dembélé and Randal Kolo Muani to fill the attacking void.
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A record-breaking start with Real Madrid
Despite the scare, Mbappé’s numbers in Spain remain staggering. The 25-year-old has already scored 14 goals and provided 2 assists in 10 matches across all competitions for Real Madrid. Among Europe’s top five leagues, only Harry Kane surpasses him, with 18 goals and 3 assists for Bayern Munich in the same span.
His performances have firmly placed him in early contention for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, particularly if Real Madrid can translate their individual brilliance into collective silverware. For now, though, both Madrid and France anxiously await the results of his medical evaluation.
