France boss Zidane confirms Mbappe injury blow: ‘Regrettable, but it’s part of the game’

France manager Zinedine Zidane has announced that Kylian Mbappe will miss the upcoming game against Italy due to a hamstring injury. Mbappe, a Real Madrid player, had been absent from training today because of the issue and has now been officially ruled out of Thursday's match. Zidane expressed his regret over the injury, stating that it is an unfortunate part of the game. He hopes to have the French national team star back in time for their next fixture against Turkey on Sunday.

The injury to Mbappe presents a significant challenge for both France and Real Madrid. The Real Madrid superstar missed training earlier today and will not be available for Thursday's trip to Italy. Zidane noted that Mbappe felt a slight pain, but assured that there is little risk involved. He also expressed hope that the player could return for Sunday's game against Turkey.

This injury comes as a major setback for France, particularly as they also lost Aurelien Tchouameni earlier in the week due to a groin injury. Both players were expected to be in contention for the Italy match. Zidane acknowledged that in such situations, players need to recover at home. He also commented on Mbappe's state of mind, noting that the forward is doing well but is understandably disappointed at missing the game. Zidane stressed the importance of not taking any risks, given the long season ahead.

Real Madrid will be closely monitoring Mbappe's injury situation as they do not want their star goalscorer to be sidelined for an extended period. The 2026 Ballon d'Or runner-up had also recently returned from an injury during the last international break. Zidane's comments suggest that the injury is not severe, and France is optimistic about having Mbappe back for the upcoming match against Turkey.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid will be hoping that no excessive risks are taken with the forward, who has already scored 17 goals in 16 matches for them this season.