Kylian Mbappé is once again making headlines away from the pitch. Ruled out for the remainder of France’s international camp after injuring his left knee against Turkey, the France captain has been spotted in Paris with Ester Expósito. The night out has sparked reactions, especially after Mbappé had left the national team to return to Madrid and receive treatment from his club.
It had all started with a genuine injury scare. Last Friday, during Turkey’s 1-0 defeat to France, Mbappé hurt his left knee in the move that led to his goal. After attempting to continue, the forward eventually had to make way for Désiré Doué in the 58th minute. Zinédine Zidane immediately confirmed that he would miss France’s next three matches, against Belgium, Italy and Belgium again, while the French Football Federation initially reported a tendon injury and said its captain would return to Madrid for treatment.
Real Madrid confirmed Mbappé’s knee injury
There appears to be little doubt over the reality of Mbappé’s injury. The following day, Real Madrid issued a medical statement after examining the striker, diagnosing a “hyperextension of the posterior capsule of the left knee” without specifying how long he would be sidelined. However, a few days later, Mbappé was spotted in Paris. According to footage and reports shared by several media outlets on Thursday, the Frenchman spent part of the evening in the capital with Spanish actress Ester Expósito. His appearance quickly generated reactions on social media, with some supporters questioning why the France captain was out while officially unavailable for international duty and recovering from injury.
Read More
However, caution is required. Mbappé’s presence at a Paris venue does not in itself cast doubt on his injury. A knee hyperextension can prevent a footballer from playing or training normally without requiring him to remain confined to his home. Real Madrid had simply stated that the progress of his injury would be monitored, and no publicly disclosed medical instructions prohibited him from travelling or going out.
The controversy therefore mainly concerns the image created by his night out in Paris. While France continue their international camp without their captain and prepare to face Italy at the Stade de France on Friday, Mbappé once again finds himself in the spotlight. From a sporting perspective, the next real indication will be his return to training with Real Madrid, who are due to resume competitive action against Villarreal on October 10. Until then, the condition of his left knee will remain closely monitored.
