The captain of France, Kylian Mbappe, broke his nose in the team's first victory against Austria, therefore he will be wearing a mask for the remainder of Euro 2024.
The sensational striker ended up covered in blood following the horrific injury he sustained when his face struck Austrian defender Kevin Danso's shoulder. He later departed the venue in an ambulance. Tests eventually revealed Mbappe did not need emergency surgery, and two days later, he resumed training while wearing a protective jacket in the French flag's colours, allaying fears that he might be disqualified from the competition.
With a clear indication that he was ready to play again despite having a fractured nose, the 25-year-old declared in an Instagram post. He wrote with a caption that, “without risks, there are no victories.” Additionally, Mbappe rejoined the France team in time for Les Bleus to play the Netherlands in Leipzig in what promises to be one of the most memorable group stage matchups of the UEFA Euro 2024.
Manager Didier Deschamps placed Mbappe on the bench and shared a photo of the black mask he will be wearing if he plays. As soon as it was apparent how serious Mbappe's injury was, France went to work making a mask because their chances of lifting the Euros depended heavily on their 2022 World Cup golden boot winner.
How did Kylian Mbappe break his nose during UEFA Euro 2024?
When Mbappe's face struck Austrian defender Danso's shoulder, he shattered his nose. Mbappe's severely swollen nose was observed to be leaking blood, which caused some of the white France shirt to become red. The injury marred France's opening victory over Austria in Dusseldorf, as Mbappe, who had been booked after returning to the field after treatment, was taken to the hospital soon after the game ended.
French media claim that Mbappe was given a selection of alternative masks to choose from, a few of which were simple and would comply with FIFA's rules. Before the Netherlands game, France will reportedly review the rules in a technical discussion with Uefa, according to RMC Sport.