Striker already left
Injury shock: France superstar Mbappé is out
October 11, 2025 – 12:23 p.mReading time: 1 min.
France is still on track in World Cup qualification. But the victory against Azerbaijan had a bitter aftertaste.
France will be without its most important offensive player in the next World Cup qualifying game. Kylian Mbappé will miss the away game in Iceland. The Équipe Tricolore captain suffered an ankle injury in the 3-0 win against Azerbaijan on Friday evening and had already started his journey home. The French association confirmed this on Saturday. It is still unclear how long the 26-year-old will be out.
According to the association, France’s national coach Didier Deschamps will not be called up for the game in Reykjavik. Mbappé had shot the French into the lead in Metz shortly before half-time with a strong individual performance, but had to be substituted in the final stages after suffering a blow to his ankle.
France is currently clearly on track to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The team leads Group D with nine points from three games. Ukraine follows behind with four points. The Ukrainians won 5:3 (3:1) on Iceland on Friday. Only the group winner qualifies directly for the World Cup.
Mbappé’s club Real Madrid will face Getafe FC in the Spanish league next Sunday. It remains to be seen whether the attacker will be operational by then.