Updated 27 September: Real Madrid published a diagnosis on Saturday, and this article has been updated with it.
Real Madrid have diagnosed Kylian Mbappé with a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of his left knee, after tests at the club on Saturday. The club gave no timescale for his return and said his progress would be monitored. He was hurt scoring the first goal of Zinedine Zidane's time as France coach on Friday, in the 1-0 win in Türkiye, and has left the France squad.
He struck in the 54th minute, taking a pass from Michael Olise and finishing low at the near post for his 67th goal for France. He was grimacing as his teammates arrived to celebrate. He tried to play on after treatment, went down again holding the outside of his left knee, and walked off a few minutes later, replaced by Désiré Doué.
Zidane was asked about him on TF1 straight after the match.
It is not going well, unfortunately. I think he will have to go home.
Zinedine Zidane to TF1
Asked whether that meant the end of Mbappé's international window, Zidane said it did, because France would take no risks, and that the forward had hyperextended his knee. France now play three more Nations League games in ten days without their captain and record scorer: Belgium in Brussels on Monday, then Italy on 2 October and Belgium again on 5 October, both at the Stade de France.
The posterior capsule is the tissue at the back of the knee joint that stops it bending beyond straight, which is the movement Zidane described. Madrid did not say what treatment he will receive. The fixtures come quickly once the break ends: Madrid host Villarreal on 10 October, travel to Roma in the Champions League on 14 October and play the first Clásico of the season at Barcelona on 25 October. They are already without Federico Valverde, who has a grade 3 ankle sprain.
The worry in Madrid is the knee itself. Mbappé's left knee kept him out for spells last season, and in March the club confirmed a sprain in it, treated without surgery. Saturday's medical report does not connect the two injuries.
France held on after Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off late for handling outside his area. Zidane had moved Mbappé to the left wing for his first game, with Ousmane Dembélé through the middle. He now has to find another answer before Brussels.
