The French national team began the Zidane era with a hard-fought victory over Turkey, winning by a single goal. However, the victory came at the cost of a concerning injury to captain Kylian Mbappé, who scored the only goal of the match before leaving the field affected by an injury to his left knee.
Zidane announced after the match that Mbappé would leave the national team camp and return to Spain, as he would be unable to continue the international break, which raised concerns within the French squad, especially given the importance of the Real Madrid forward to the team.
Comments from Maxence Lacroix, the Chelsea defender, heightened worries about Mbappé’s condition, as he revealed that the national team players realized the severity of the injury after the match ended.
Lacroix told the French site "Foot Mercato": "Initially, we were focused on the match, but when we got to the locker room, we realized it was more serious. We all know that having Kylian is different from not having him, and we wish him a speedy recovery."
The defender's statements reflect the extent of Mbappé's influence within the French national team, which will have to continue the international break without its captain, awaiting clarification on the nature of the injury and the duration of his absence.