France’s head coach Didier Deschamps revealed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe is currently receiving care for a minor ankle issue after joining his national teammates ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures.
The French captain picked up the ankle discomfort during Real Madrid‘s 3-1 La Liga triumph over Villarreal on Saturday, raising concerns about his participation in France’s next qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland.
Deschamps reassured the media, stating, “I have spoken with Kylian; he is dealing with a slight ankle problem, but it’s nothing serious. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been present with us today.”
He added, “Our medical team will carefully monitor his condition and determine the best course of action as we move forward.”
In addition to Mbappe, Liverpool‘s defender Ibrahima Konate also underwent medical evaluations after sustaining an injury during the Reds’ 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Saturday.
Both players received treatment during Monday’s training session and are expected to continue their rehabilitation on Tuesday, according to the French squad’s medical staff.
Meanwhile, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced that Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola has been sent home from the Clairefontaine training camp due to a hamstring injury.
“Following consultation with the national team’s medical experts, Barcola has been diagnosed with a persistent injury to his right hamstring, dating back to PSG’s Champions League clash with Atalanta on September 17,” the FFF stated.
However, PSG publicly disputed the national team’s assessment of the 23-year-old’s condition.
The club responded on social media, “The details shared in this statement do not align with the medical information provided by PSG’s own medical staff.”
PSG further clarified, “Before the national team camp and after our Ligue 1 matchday 7 game against Lille, we supplied the French team with a medical report on Bradley Barcola that made no mention of any chronic injury following the Atalanta match.”
Barcola featured for 60 minutes in PSG’s recent Ligue 1 draw against Lille on Sunday, showing no visible signs of injury before being substituted.
If Barcola is sidelined, it would add to PSG’s already extensive injury list, which includes French internationals Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, alongside Marquinhos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Fabian Ruiz, and Joao Neves.
Tensions between PSG and the French national team staff surfaced last month after PSG criticized the handling of Dembele and Doue’s injuries, which occurred during France’s opening Group D victory over Ukraine.
Currently, Les Bleus lead their qualifying group with two wins from two matches. They are scheduled to host Azerbaijan on Friday at PSG’s Parc des Princes before traveling to face Iceland three days later.