France star Mbappé could still play Friday against Oranje despite broken nose
It is unclear whether France star Kylian Mbappé will play against the Dutch team on Friday after he broke his nose during the European Championship match between Austria and France (0-1) on Monday. Mbappé, one of the biggest names in the tournament, will not undergo surgery and can play with a special mask, but only after treatment, the French Football Federation said.
The 25-year-old France captain got hurt in a collision with Kevin Danso in the final phase of the first group match. He hit the Austrian defender’s shoulder with his face and had to leave the field with a bleeding nose. A visit to the hospital and an X-ray confirmed the broken nose.
“Kylian Mbappé has returned to the base camp of the French team. He will undergo treatment in the coming days without undergoing surgery immediately,” the French Football Federation said, according to Reuters. “A mask will be made so as to allow the number 10 of the French team to consider resuming the competition after a period devoted to treatment.”
It is unclear whether Mbappé will play in Friday's group match against Oranje. The French newspaper L'Équipe expects him to only be available again in the knockout phase.
