French superstar Kylian Mbappe has unveiled a specially designed mask he will wear for the remainder of Euro 2024 following a broken nose sustained in France’s opening match. The French captain suffered the injury during his team’s 1-0 victory over Austria on Monday.
The 25-year-old forward was spotted at France’s training base in Paderborn on Wednesday, sporting a protective covering over his nose. Initially, he trained separately from the rest of the squad but later joined them for shooting drills. By Thursday, Mbappe was training with a new mask adorned in the tricolore colors of the French flag. However, UEFA regulations require any protective mask to be a single uniform color, potentially necessitating a redesign for future matches.
Although Mbappe’s injury does not require immediate surgery, the French team is closely monitoring his condition and has refrained from providing a specific timeline for his return. With Friday’s crucial match against the Netherlands fast approaching, the new mask hints that Mbappe could make a swift return to the lineup. Teammates have been optimistic about his recovery.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot expressed confidence in Mbappe’s quick comeback during a press conference in Paderborn. “A fractured nose isn’t the end of the world,” Rabiot stated through a translator, adding, “Kylian should be with us pretty soon.”
Defender William Saliba also provided an update, saying he had spoken to Mbappe, who was feeling “a bit better” following the injury. Mbappe’s nose was broken during a collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso, resulting in heavy bleeding that stained parts of his white France jersey red. “I saw him this morning, he was a bit better,” Saliba shared. “I think he was off to do more tests. I don’t know anything more. But when I saw him this morning, he was a bit better.” Rabiot drew a comparison to a similar injury suffered by Juventus teammate Wojciech Szczesny, who broke his nose in April, underwent surgery, and returned to play the following week
