The Nations League has begun without Kylian Mbappé. The Real Madrid forward, who remains France’s captain, was absent from Tuesday’s training session at Clairefontaine as flu-like symptoms kept him off the pitch. This is not merely an inconvenience—it is a disruption to Zinedine Zidane’s first competitive match as France’s head coach, a test that will now unfold without his most influential player.
Zidane’s tenure has started with cautious optimism, but the absence of Mbappé—who has been a constant presence in France’s recent campaigns—adds an early layer of uncertainty. The Nations League opener against Turkey on Friday is his first competitive game in charge, and the squad’s rhythm will be tested without their talisman. Mbappé’s flu follows a season that has seen him transition from Real Madrid’s star to a player navigating personal and professional pressures, including his pursuit of the Ballon d’Or. His recovery will now dictate whether he can contribute to Zidane’s first starting XI.
The timing could not be worse. Mbappé’s absence comes after a mixed start to the campaign, including a lackluster performance in the Madrid derby against Atlético. His body has clearly been a concern, and the flu symptoms—though not yet severe enough to rule him out—have forced him to step aside. France has not officially ruled him out of Friday’s match, but the next training sessions will be critical in determining his availability. The squad’s depth will be tested, particularly in the absence of a player who has carried Les Bleus in recent years.
For Zidane, this is a moment of reckoning. His first competitive game as coach is already complicated by Mbappé’s illness, but it also presents an opportunity to assess the squad’s adaptability. The Nations League is a platform for rebuilding, and while Mbappé’s absence is a setback, it may also force Zidane to rely on other talents—such as Olivier Giroud or Warren Zaïre-Emery—to step up. The question now is whether France can perform without their captain, or if this early hiccup will be a harbinger of challenges to come.
