Zidane did not pretend the decision was a joint one. A day before France face Italy in Milan, the France manager confirmed Mbappé had asked to be on the team sheet and had been overruled.

“He is not happy, and he wanted to play tomorrow, but we should not take the risk, because the season is still long,” Zidane said, as reported by africasoccer.

The France coach described the issue as minor. “I hope that it’s nothing too serious and that he’ll be available for Sunday,” Zidane told the pre-match press conference in quotes carried by France24, adding that it was “just a minor issue”.

A hamstring, and a captain under rotation

Mbappé skipped France’s final training session on Wednesday after feeling tightness in his hamstring. Zidane also told RAI Sport that there was “no” chance of the captain playing: “He is injured, so we will not risk him.”

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France will decide on Mbappé’s availability for Sunday’s final Group A1 fixture against Türkiye in Bordeaux. Amid a wave of withdrawals from the squad, Zidane has handed PSG teenager Senny Mayulu his first senior call-up.

The absentee list is long. Alongside Mbappé, France are without Marcus Thuram, Pierre Kalulu, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Manu Koné, William Saliba, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, Ousmane Dembélé and Esteban Lepaul for the trip to San Siro.

The Dembélé row in the background

Running underneath the injury is a tactical row dating back to Zidane’s first camp in charge of Les Bleus. The new manager used Mbappé on the left wing and gave Dembélé the central striker’s role, a reshuffle the captain is said to have disliked given his preference for playing through the middle at Real Madrid.

L’Équipe has since reported that the relationship between captain and coach is less settled than Mbappé’s rapport with former France boss Didier Deschamps, with communication said to have thinned during the latest camp at Clairefontaine. Dembélé is unavailable in Milan in any case, through injury.

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Zidane batted back the idea that Mbappé’s exclusion was anything other than medical, insisting the captain remained in a good place within the squad.

“I find him in good condition. The proof is that he is still with us,” the France manager said in comments carried by africasoccer.

Milan for a quarter-final ticket

France lead Group A1 with 10 points, three clear of Italy on seven, with Belgium a further point back on six and Türkiye on zero. A win at San Siro would seal top spot and a place in the Nations League quarter-finals in March 2027. A draw would keep France in control going into Sunday’s game.

Mbappé is expected to travel with the squad regardless. Zidane will reassess the hamstring before naming his team for the Türkiye fixture on Sunday.

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