France ground out a 1-0 win over Turkey in Zinedine Zidane's first match at the helm of Les Bleus in the UEFA Nations League. The victory came at a cost. Captain Kylian Mbappe suffered a knee injury and limped off before the hour mark.
In a painful irony for the France captain, Mbappe scored the game's only goal, then picked up the injury during the very same passage of play.
The Real Madrid forward tried to run it off, but he couldn't carry on, collapsing in pain as he made his way to the dressing room.
Zidane confirmed after the match that Mbappe would leave the national team camp and return to Madrid, with the coaching staff refusing to risk him.
Speaking to "TF1", the French coach said his captain's condition was "not good", explaining that he was suffering from a hyperextension of the knee. Medical examinations would determine the nature of the injury more precisely.
The French Football Federation, for its part, announced that Mbappe was suffering from a tendon injury that would rule him out for the remainder of the international break.
That means the France captain will miss the clash with Italy, scheduled for Friday at the Stade de France. He will also sit out the trip to Belgium and the match against the Belgians the following Monday.
The French Federation wished Mbappe a swift recovery, hoping for his rapid return to the pitch.