Kylian Mbappé Misses France Training Session Ahead of UEFA Nations League

Kylian Mbappé sat out France’s training session on Tuesday, the only absentee from Zinédine Zidane’s 23-man squad at Clairefontaine, according to L'Équipe.

The Real Madrid forward had been on the pitch on Monday for Zidane’s first session in charge of Les Bleus, a symbolic moment as France’s new era began under the legendary No. 10. Twenty-four hours later, the captain was nowhere to be seen on the training pitches.

Mbappé is understood to be suffering from cold-like symptoms and remained at the Château de Clairefontaine while the rest of the group worked outside in preparation for Friday night’s UEFA Nations League opener against Turkiye. No suggestion of a more serious problem at this stage, but any absence involving France’s talisman immediately sharpens attention.

The timing is delicate. This international window is packed: after Turkiye, France will face Belgium twice and then Italy, a demanding run to start Zidane’s tenure. Mbappé, who last summer overtook Olivier Giroud to become Les Bleus’ all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup, will be desperate to be fit for the curtain-raiser.

Beyond his fitness, Zidane is already weighing how best to use his star. RMC Sport reports that the new France coach is considering shifting Mbappé back to the left side of the attack, a role in which he has often thrived, opening the door for Ousmane Dembélé to operate through the middle.

For now, the picture is simple: one training session missed, a mild illness reported, and a clock quietly ticking down to Friday night.