Real Madrid confirm Kylian Mbappe is in hospital with illness after France captain missed their Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal

The 26-year-old, who has been Los Blancos’ leading scorer this season, did not take part in team training on Tuesday, prompting speculation about his availability. Subsequently, Mbappe was absent from the squad that faced Al-Hilal in their Club World Cup opener on Wednesday, a match that ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

Head coach Xabi Alonso refrained from going into medical specifics about Mbappe's condition, but the Real Madrid boss acknowledged that the striker had been struggling in recent days. He said: “I don’t know if Mbappé will be back for the next game. We’ll see. He wasn’t doing well in the last two days. He’s sick.”

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In a formal statement released by the club, Real Madrid confirmed Mbappe has been admitted to the hospital after falling ill with a case of acute gastroenteritis. It read: "Our player Kylian Mbappé has acute gastroenteritis and has been hospitalized for various tests and treatment."

With Mbappe sidelined, Alonso turned to promising forward Gonzalo Garcia to lead the line against Al-Hilal. The 21-year-old delivered on the big stage, finding the back of the net and ensuring Real Madrid secured a point from their opening game. However, Madrid sorely missed the presence and explosiveness of Mbappe, whose clinical edge has often been the difference for the Spanish giants this season.

Real Madrid’s next Club World Cup encounter will be against Mexican side Pachuca later this weekend. If the Frenchman is not declared fit in time, Alonso may opt to start Garcia again, especially after the academy graduate bagged the Man of the Match award against Al-Hilal.