An injury expert has predicted how long Kylian Mbappe could be sidelined after he was seen nursing his foot with ice following France's 2-0 win over Morocco in the World Cup quarter-final on Thursday night.
The Real Madrid striker boosted his Ballon d'Or credentials by scoring his 20th World Cup goal in Boston, with Les Bleus now reaching their third consecutive semi-final in the tournament. Didier Deschamps' side have looked every bit the favourites so far as they chase a second title in the last three tournaments, with the Supercomputer predicting them to do just that.
However, the sight of Mbappe hobbling off and needing an ice pack on his foot would have been an unwelcome one for France. Concerns quickly grew that he may have suffered a recurrence of a previous issue after asking to be substituted in the 77th minute.
Injury Expert's Analysis of Mbappe's Injury vs Morocco
France's Kylian Mbappe looks baffled during trainingFrance's Kylian Mbappe via Reuters/Winslow Townson
After reviewing the footage of Mbappe's injury, Physio Scout - an X account well-known for their assessments on player injuries - has provided a timeline for his recovery, depending on the extent of his condition. They wrote (see the full post below):
"The injury seemed to have happened after Issa Diop's challenge, which caused Mbappe's foot to evert after a stamp on his forefoot, which can bring concern for a medial ankle sprain.
"Wide variety of possibilities here, but Mbappe & Deschamps stating that it was 'a small ankle problem,' should ease concerns. Likely it's only a minor issue here. Expected Recovery Times: If contusion/minor ankle sprain: Less than 1 week If medial ankle sprain: 2+ weeks."
They added: "Unlikely that it's any sprain, but scans might be necessary to determine the extent of the injury. Hopefully it's just a minor one for France, as Mbappe did try and play on."
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Incredibly, only eight countries have scored more goals than Mbappe has by himself across the last three World Cup tournaments. His tally of 20 is just one behind the Netherlands and five shy of Spain. While he is a major reason why France head into every tournament believing they can go all the way, Deschamps also has plenty of other attacking options at his disposal.
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Even without Mbappe's goals, France would still rank as the joint fifth-highest-scoring nation across that period, with Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele serving as their next most reliable source of goals. Michael Olise has also played a key role creatively, with his five assists the most of any player at this year's tournament.
The depth of France's attacking talent is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola are battling for places in the starting XI, while Rayan Cherki - one of the Premier League's standout performers last season - has been limited to just 61 minutes of action.