Mbappe

France beat Azerbaijan 3-0 on Friday to edge closer to qualifying for FIFA 2026 World Cup, but Kylian Mbappe injured.

Kylian Mbappe will miss Monday’s qualifier in Iceland, where France could book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup, after taking another knock to his sore right ankle, the French team confirmed.

Already suffering from a “small niggle” in his right ankle from playing for Real Madrid, Mbappe took two knocks during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan in Paris, where he opened the scoring but was substituted before the end of the match.

The France captain’s absence adds to the long list of forwards unavailable for October’s World Cup qualifiers, which includes Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola.

Mbappe “will not be able to play Monday against Iceland”, a French Football Federation (FFF) statement read.

After returning to the Clairefontaine training ground on Friday night, “the French team captain spoke with (coach) Didier Deschamps,” who “acknowledged his absence”.

Mbappe “has been released to his club (Real Madrid) and will not be replaced”, the FFF added.

The French superstar had already been rested for training with Les Bleus during the week with the same issue.

Mbappe scored on the stroke of half-time and was then struck by a tackle from Rustam Ahmedzade. He took another knock to the same ankle late in the game and was replaced by Florian Thauvin.

“He has a sore ankle and he took a knock there. He preferred to come off; the pain was quite significant,” Deschamps said after the French victory.

Adrien Rabiot and the substitute Thauvin were also on the scoresheet as Deschamps’s men remain unbeaten after three games and top of Group D.

Les Bleus will book their passage to the United States, Canada and Mexico next year if they win in Iceland on Monday and Ukraine fail to beat Azerbaijan.

Goals grab the headlines, so given Ethan’s position is a midfielder he is unlikely to outshine his brother in that department.

But the youngster is seen as an exciting talent in his own right.

His mentality was praised as he broke through from the PSG youth system, appearing to cope well with the weight of expectation that came with being an Mbappe.

Laurent Glaize, a former head of youth recruitment at Caen, spent three years tracking a young Kylian and became close to the Mbappe family during that time.

Speaking about Ethan in 2022, he told TNT Sports: “He is a balanced, well-educated kid who is respectful even if he is obviously in the shadow of his brother, which is not easy for him.

“But I find him calm and with a real personality. I find that he manages this pressure rather well. He does not mistake where he is in the game, even if he is already being asked for autographs more for his name, than for what he has done, because he is still very young.”

Praised for his football intelligence, calmness on the ball and passing ability, Ethan impressed the coaches at PSG and was given his league debut at just 16, coming on as a late substitute in a 3-1 win against Metz, with Kylian having scored two of the goals.

“Ethan is a very interesting player who can play in several positions,” PSG boss Luis Enrique said after that game.

“I am sure he will play again. He has a prestigious surname, which is difficult to live up to.”

In total, he made five appearances for PSG before leaving at the end of his contract last summer, although there was some controversy around his departure.

Kylian has previously implied, external that Ethan not getting a new contract at PSG was linked to his decision to leave and join Real Madrid, and was willing to instead stay at the French giants if it meant his brother got a new deal there also.

“It’s the thing that affected me the most,” Kylian said.

“He [Ethan], didn’t ask for anything. His Real Madrid was PSG. What Real meant to me, his childhood dream, was PSG.

“At one point, I even told him: ‘If you want me to, I’ll extend [my contract] and you can stay, we’ll stay here.’ I would have given up my dream of Madrid and stayed for him.

“Ethan told me… ‘I don’t want to stay here. What they did to you, what they did to me, it’s not normal.’ If he had told me, ‘Kylian, it’s what I want’, I would have given up my dream of Madrid and stayed for him.”

A Vinicius Jr brace helped Madrid reclaim top spot in La Liga after Kylian Mbappe limped off with an ankle sprain.

Vinicius Jr scored twice as Real Madrid wrapped up a 3-1 home victory over 10-man Villarreal on Saturday, but lost Kylian Mbappe to injury after the star forward limped off minutes before full-time.

Real now sit atop the La Liga standings on 21 points, two clear of Barcelona, who visit Sevilla on Sunday. Villarreal are third on 16 points.

The game was deadlocked in the early stages, but Real began to pile on the pressure as the clock ticked past 20 minutes.

Aurelien Tchouameni rose to meet a cross, but his header drifted just wide of the post.

Moments later, Mbappe pounced on a loose pass as the visitors tried to play out from the back. The Frenchman squared the ball to Franco Mastantuono, whose shot from point-blank range was deflected over the bar by defender Renato Veiga.

Villarreal also had chances in the first half as Tani Oluwaseyi broke into the box and found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who produced a sprawling save.

Xabi Alonso’s Real side eventually broke the deadlock just after the break when Vinicius picked up the ball near the left byline, drove into the box and squeezed a shot in from a tight angle that deflected off Villarreal midfielder Santi Comesana.

The Brazilian forward doubled his tally from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, having been brought down by Rafa Marin, with his effort just squeezing under goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

However, four minutes later, Villarreal proved they had come to the Santiago Bernabeu to fight as Georges Mikautadze pulled one back with a low strike from the edge of the box.

The drama continued in the 77th minute, when Villarreal defender Santiago Mourino was sent off after a second booking for a foul on Vinicius, leaving the visitors on the back foot.

The impact was immediate as Mbappe scored Real’s third in the 80th minute after Brahim Diaz broke through and laid the ball back for the striker to complete the victory. A short time later, Mbappe went down with an ankle injury and was replaced by Rodrygo as Madrid saw the game out.

Kylian Mbappe converted two penalties, and 10-man Real Madrid came back to beat visiting Marseille 2-1 on the opening night of the new Champions League season.

The victory on Tuesday meant that 15-time champion Madrid became the first team in competition history – since the rebranding in the early 1990s – to reach 200 wins.

It also gave former Madrid-playing standout Xabi Alonso a victory in his Champions League debut as the club’s coach.

Timothy Weah put visiting Marseille ahead early on, but Mbappe struck back from the penalty spot in the 29th and 81st.

The first penalty came after a foul on Rodrygo, and the second was for a handball by a defender.

Mbappe now has 50 goals in 64 matches with Madrid, moving level with former Real and Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“We are happy that he keeps scoring goals and has been feeling more and more comfortable,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said of the France player.

“Our job is to make sure the ball gets to him and that he can have even more scoring opportunities than he is having now.”

Madrid captain Dani Carvajal was sent off in the 72nd for head-butting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Weah, a United States international and the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, was set up by Mason Greenwood, who stripped Madrid’s Arda Guler near midfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Champions League debut for Madrid lasted only five minutes. The England defender was replaced by Carvajal because of an apparent muscle injury.

Spanish police clashed with Marseille fans before the match, but the situation was controlled quickly.

Dortmund and Juventus share eight-goal thriller

An early own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over visiting Villarreal.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus drew 4-4 in Turin. Juventus substitute Dusan Vlahovic scored one goal in stoppage time. He then set up the equaliser for English defender Lloyd Kelly. The game had been 0-0 at halftime.

Qarabag came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Benfica.

In the second season of the new league-phase format, the top eight teams advance to the round of 16. The next 16 teams enter a two-leg playoff, with eight advancing.

MADNESS 😱🤯#UCL pic.twitter.com/Fu1aZyXzxe

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025

Arsenal subs decisive against Bilbao

Viktor Gyokeres was off target in his Champions League debut for Arsenal.

The London club’s substitutes were decisive, though, in a 2-0 win for the Gunners at Athletic Bilbao.

Gabriel Martinelli scored less than a minute after he came on, and Leandro Trossard, who had replaced Gyokeres, doubled the lead 15 minutes later.

Gyokeres, Arsenal’s prized signing who scored six Champions League goals for Sporting Lisbon last season, missed a golden chance shortly after the break. The Sweden international evaded his marker with ease and rose to meet a well-placed free kick from Declan Rice, but his header went well wide of the target.

Martinelli and Trossard also provided the assists on each other’s goals.

Union’s memorable debut in Eindhoven

Competition newcomer Union Saint-Gilloise made a memorable debut, as the Belgian club won 3-1 across the border at PSV Eindhoven.

The first goal of this season’s competition was a penalty kick converted by Canada international Promise David.

The penalty was awarded when United States international Ricardo Pepi harshly landed his boot into the leg of Union’s English centre back, Christian Burgess.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar then went the wrong way on the spot kick in the ninth minute.

Another error by Pepi led to Union’s second before the break, a dribbling exhibition and expert finish by Anouar Ait El Hadj.

Union, who qualified by winning the Belgian league for the first time in 90 years, is one of four clubs making their competition debuts this season. The others are Bodø/Glimt (Norway), Kairat (Kazakhstan) and Pafos (Cyprus).

Argentinian defender Kevin Mac Allister, who is named for Macaulay Culkin’s character in Home Alone, made it 3-0 from close range in the 81st.

Ruben van Bommel, the son of former Netherlands standout Mark van Bommel, scored for PSV in the 90th.

PSV had gone unbeaten in its previous 11 group or league matches in the UEFA competition.

Real Madrid open their La Liga season with a nervy 1-0 home win against Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu.

Kylian Mbappe struck from the penalty spot as Real Madrid beat a dogged Osasuna 1-0 to make a winning start in La Liga under new coach Xabi Alonso.

The French striker, last season’s European Golden Shoe winner, scored early in the second half on Tuesday after he was fouled in the area by Osasuna defender Juan Cruz.

It was enough to seal the points in Alonso’s first game in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Madrid now unbeaten in their opening fixture of a league campaign since 2008.

“It was special to be back here as a coach, unforgettable,” Alonso said. “Hopefully, it was the first of many victories celebrated here.

“There were positives, beginning with the result. We still need a few things that will give us stability to keep progressing.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold made his La Liga debut after his move from Liverpool, with former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen and left-back Alvaro Carreras, the other summer arrivals included in the starting lineup.

Madrid, though, were without England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is expected to be sidelined until October as he recovers from an operation to solve a recurrent shoulder issue.

Madrid are looking to turn the page on a disappointing end to the Carlo Ancelotti era after relinquishing both their domestic and European crowns last season.

Alonso’s side had to show patience against an Osasuna team that finished ninth last term, with the hosts largely restricted to long-range efforts from centre-backs Huijsen and Eder Militao in the first half.

Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera was equal to both, while Mbappe failed to connect cleanly after being picked out by Vinicius Junior before he curled another shot wide as Madrid struggled to break down their opponents.

But Mbappe grabbed the only goal six minutes after half-time, after he went down following a clumsy challenge by Cruz as he tried to cut past the defender.

Mbappe, who was La Liga’s top scorer, with 31 goals in his first season in Spain, got up and running for the new campaign as he sent Herrera the wrong way from the spot.

Alonso handed 18-year-old Argentinian winger Franco Mastantuono his debut midway through the second half, as Madrid controlled the game and seldom looked troubled.

Ante Budimir headed over in a rare opportunity for Osasuna, and Mastantuono was denied late on by Herrera.

Osasuna finished the match with 10 men, with Abel Bretones sent off in stoppage time for throwing an arm to block the run of Gonzalo Garcia.

Barcelona’s domination of Real Madrid last season resulted in Los Blancos bringing an end to Carlo Ancelotti’s second tenure – even though he had delivered a league and European double a year previous.

Rumours rumbled for most of the season, after a low-key start at home and abroad, that former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso would be making the switch from Bayer Leverkusen to replace Ancelotti.

With their La Liga and UEFA Champions League defence over, the Madrid-based club wasted little time in announcing Alonso, conveniently at a time when Brazil cranked up their interest in Ancelotti.

All seemed well for a dignified departure for the Italian, club football’s most decorated manager, who now will lead the record World Cup winners into next year’s 2026 edition.

For the perfectly written script to continue, however, Alonso will need to make a strong start on all fronts. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the new La Liga season.

When does the La Liga season begin?

The first match of the new Spanish campaign is on Friday, August 15 and sees Girona, who finished only a point above the relegation zone last season, entertain a Rayo Vallecano side that claimed ninth spot in La Liga last year.

Girona were the league’s surprise package two seasons ago when they finished third – only four points behind Barcelona.

When are Barcelona and Real Madrid’s first La Liga fixtures?

Barcelona kick off their La Liga defence on Saturday, August 16, when they make the trip to Mallorca.

Real Madrid are not in action until Tuesday, August 19, when they complete the first round of Spanish top-flight fixtures with a trip to Espanyol.

What transfers have Real Madrid and Barcelona made?

It has been a quiet transfer window for Barcelona, whose finances had been heavily in the spotlight last year with La Liga rules limiting spending on wages and transfers – complicating the registration of Dani Olmo.

The Spanish international arrived from RB Leipzig in Germany for a fee of $62.5m in the summer of 2024, but was nearly forced into a free transfer away from the Catalan club due to their dire financial situation.

The loan of Marcus Rashford, who made his debut in the 5-0 pre-season demolition of Como, from Manchester United is Barca’s only major addition in the off season to their ranks so far.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, have been quick to bolster a defence that has been hampered by injury and suspension throughout last season.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was a much-heralded arrival at a snip from Liverpool for $11.3m. Little expense was spared, however, in the capture of Spanish defensive duo Alvaro Carreras from Benfica for $57.7m and Dean Huijsen for $67m from Bournemouth.

What were the results between Barcelona and Real Madrid last season?

Barcelona won all four El Clasico matches between the football clubs last season, including the decisive La Liga clash, a May 11 meeting in Catalonia. The 4-3 win all but sealed the title for Barca, and also ended any thought that Ancelotti may stay on as manager of Real.

A 4-0 demolition of Real in Madrid on October 26 kicked off the derbies last season, the first major warning signs that Los Blancos may have a turbulent ride ahead.

That defeat for Ancelotti’s side was compounded by a 5-2 hammering in the Spanish Super Cup final in January, before a 3-2 Copa Del Rey final win for Barca in late April left Real facing up to the prospect of a trophyless season.

Where will the spotlight focus on Barcelona and Real Madrid?

The lack of any major additions to Barcelona’s title-winning squad will throw doubt on whether manager Hansi Flick will be able to push the players to go again without further competition for places.

An early-season injury to Robert Lewandowski may mean an early opportunity for Rashford to make his mark in attack alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The England international has many questions himself to answer following his demise from his status as the star of Old Trafford.

Ferran Torres, the 25-year-old Spanish international, will also be a candidate to start in the place of Lewandowski in the early-season games.

With the resolution of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s dispute, both the backlines and midfield appear well-resourced for Barca. Flick’s side will be fully expected to put up a stern defence of their La Liga title and to go all the way in the Champions League, a competition they were heavily favourites to win last season until their shock semifinal elimination by Inter Milan.

Real Madrid will have to cope with the loss of Luka Modric in midfield, only a year after the retirement of Toni Kroos – an absence believed to have heavily contributed to Real’s demise last season.

The link-up between the front three of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo was another area of concern for Real. Indeed, so much so that it affected the role of Jude Bellingham, who was forced to sit deeper in midfield following the arrival of the former.

Mbappe eventually silenced the critics. The French international’s tally of 40 goals in all competitions surpassed that of Cristiano Ronaldo in his first season with Madrid.

Nonetheless, the link-up between an attack and midfield, which is now missing both of its mainstays for more than a decade, will be the major problem for Alonso to solve.

Can Atletico Madrid challenge Real and Barcelona?

Atletico finished 14 points off top spot last season, but had offered hope at one stage, with a 15-game winning streak, that glory was on the cards.

Diego Simeone’s side finished sixth in the League Phase of the Champions League, but were eventually eliminated by Real, who themselves had to reach the knockout stage via playoffs. They did also have a disappointing group-stage exit at the Club World Cup, including a 4-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.

Simeone’s side are always based on a solid defence, and the permanent capture of Clement Lenglet following his loan from Barcelona last season ensures that is likely to continue.

An already formidable forward line is boosted by the arrival of Thiago Almada from Botafogo, for an undisclosed fee, following a season-long loan at Lyon last season.

The 24-year-old helped Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Copa America last year and was part of his country’s side at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Alongside fellow countryman Julian Alvarez, France and Atletico legend Antoine Griezmann, and Giuliano Simeone, the son of the manager, Almada could well sprinkle the magic needed to elevate Atletico to the top of the pile.

Kylian Mbappe was among the scorers as the French forward continues comeback in Real Madrid’s 3-2 win against Dortmund.

Kylian Mbappe’s spectacular bicycle kick was among three goals in the second-half stoppage time, as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a Club World Cup quarterfinal match.

The drama was not restricted to the late goals, with Real keeper Thibaut Courtois using his fingertips to palm away the potential levelling goal from the game’s final play.

Gonzalo Garcia and Fran García scored in the first 20 minutes as Madrid built a 2-0 lead.

Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier scored three minutes into stoppage time, and Mbappe, who entered in the 67th, restored a two-goal lead with his bicycle kick one minute later.

Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty kick in the eighth minute of added time after he was fouled by Dean Huijsen, who received a red card and will miss the semifinals.

Courtois used all of the lengthy arm on his 200cm (6ft 7in) frame to tip away Marcel Sabitzer’s shot just before the final whistle.

Madrid advanced to a semifinal match against Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a day after Chelsea meets Brazilian club Fluminense.

On a sunny afternoon, in 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) at the 3pm kickoff, Gonzalo Garcia scored in the 10th minute and Fran Garcia in the 20th.

Garcia, a 21-year-old who made only five Spanish league appearances in the past two seasons, was given the start by new Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso over Mbappe, who is still regaining fitness after acute gastroenteritis.

Garcia has four goals, tying Benfica’s Angel Di María and Al Hilal’s Marcos Leonardo for the tournament lead.

Mbappe came on for Jude Bellingham, who missed a chance to play against his brother, Jobe, who was suspended for yellow-card accumulation.

Madrid beat Dortmund 2-0 in the 2024 Champions League final and overcame a two-goal halftime deficit in a 5-2 victory in this season’s league phase. Los Blancos were eliminated by Arsenal in this year’s Champions League quarterfinals.

Madrid has won five consecutive games against Dortmund and is unbeaten in seven since a 2014 Champions League quarterfinal defeat.

American midfielder Gio Reyna did not get off the bench and finished the tournament with one 13-minute appearance for Dortmund in five matches.

This game drew 76,611 fans to MetLife Stadium, the site of next year’s World Cup final. Seats looked filled, except for a completely empty suite level on one side.

There was a moment of silence before kickoff for Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and his brother, Penafiel’s Andre Silva, who died in a car crash on Thursday.

Kylian Mbappe comes off the bench as Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 to reach FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals.

Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute header was enough to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium and book their place in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Spanish giants will face the winner of Tuesday’s other game between Borussia Dortmund and Mexico’s Monterrey in the last eight.

It was an impressive display from Xabi Alonso’s Madrid side, and adding to a positive day, Kylian Mbappe made his return from illness, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for his first appearance of the tournament.

The first half was a finely-balanced contest with Igor Tudor’s Juventus starting brightly before Real ended it on top.

There was an early chance for Juve’s Randal Kolo Muani after clever work from Kenan Yildiz to put him through on goal, but the French forward opted for an attempted chip of Thibaut Courtois, and his shot floated over the bar.

The impressive Yildiz then burst through the middle and unleashed a fierce effort which deflected off Aurelien Tchouameni and flew wide.

The Turin team, beaten 5-2 by Manchester City in their final group game, were moving the ball around with confidence, but Real grew into the contest, and they went close when Jude Bellingham forced a save out of Michele Di Gregorio from close range.

Federico Valverde then tested the Juve goalkeeper from long range, and Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped a low ball across the face of the goal as Madrid finished the half strongly.

The interval did nothing to alter the momentum of the game, with Real creating several chances: Bellingham laid off to Valverde, whose sweetly-struck shot was just wide, and then Bellingham himself brought another good save out of Di Gregorio with a shot from the edge of the box.

Dean Huijsen’s rocketing drive was parried out by the busy goalkeeper as Real laid siege to the Juventus goal, and it was no surprise when the breakthrough finally arrived.

Alexander-Arnold floated in a cross from the right, which Gonzalo met with a perfectly-timed header for his third goal in four games in the tournament.

Juve responded with Portuguese winger Francisco Conceicao bringing Courtois into action from a low shot that the Belgian shot-stopper did well to get down to.

But Real wanted to finish the contest off, and Valverde tested Di Gregorio’s reactions with an overhead kick before Alonso decided to introduce Mbappe to the delight of the 62,149 crowd.

Juve’s belief remained, however, and Nicolas Gonzalez flashed a 25-yard drive just wide.

At the other end, Real’s Turkish midfielder, Arda Guler, saw his crisp shot kept out by the feet of Di Gregorio, but the one goal was enough.

The FIFA Club World Cup has entered its second week, and one of the tournament’s star attractions, Kylian Mbappe, has yet to step on the football field.

The Real Madrid forward was first ruled out when he missed his side’s opening match against Al Hilal on Wednesday, but his exclusion from the match-day squad was extended when Real coach Xabi Alonso confirmed Mbappe would also miss their second game against Pachuca on Sunday.

Here’s what to know about the Mbappe situation:

Why did Mbappe go to the hospital before the Club World Cup?

Mbappe received treatment in Florida, United States, after suffering from a high fever and an illness later diagnosed as gastroenteritis.

“Our player Kylian Mbappe is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment,” Real Madrid said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement did not indicate when Mbappe was admitted, but another update from the club, seven hours later, confirmed that he had been discharged after receiving treatment and returned to Real Madrid’s training ground.

“Mbappe will continue with specific medical treatment and will gradually return to team activity,” the club said.

What is gastroenteritis, and how did Mbappe get it?

Gastroenteritis – also known as the stomach flu or tummy bug – is a common illness that causes diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.

“Gastroenteritis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral tummy bug and affects people of all ages,” according to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS).

While it has not been revealed how the Real Madrid star caught the illness, the NHS says “cases in adults are usually caused by norovirus or bacterial food poisoning”.

How many games will Mbappe miss at the Club World Cup?

The France captain has so far missed one game and has been ruled out of another by Real’s manager, Xabi Alonso.

“He [Mbappe] is better,” Alonso said in his pre-match news conference on Saturday.

“It’s been two days since he came back from hospital. He’s recovering, and day by day.”

Who will replace Mbappe for Real Madrid’s Club World Cup games?

Gonzalo Garcia, part of Real Madrid’s second team, replaced Mbappe in the club’s opening game, which ended in a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal.

The 21-year-old opened the scoring for Real, leading Alonso to entrust him with another start.

“Gonzalo can do what he did the other day [against Al Hilal],” the Spanish manager said.

“He scored a goal and had three chances. Looking ahead, we’ll see what happens. Having players with that sense of smell is very important. He did very well.”

Will Mbappe play in the Club World Cup?

Alonso has hinted that Mbappe could be included in his squad for Real’s last group game against FC Salzburg on Thursday.

“We’re increasingly optimistic about him for the next match.”

Gastroenteritis, according to the NHS, usually clears up by itself within a week. While the 26-year-old may be cleared of the illness by Wednesday, it remains to be seen if he will be match-day fit, especially as the game is a late afternoon kickoff amid hot conditions.

Should Real qualify for the round of 16, Mbappe’s chances of playing out a full game will increase, given the rest period between the last group-stage match and the first knockout game.

What’s Real Madrid’s schedule at the Club World Cup?

After Sunday’s game against Pachuca, the Spanish giants will finish their Group H run with a fixture against Salzburg at the Lincoln Field in Philadelphia on Thursday at 19:00 GMT.

Should Real top Group H, they will play their first knockout game against the runners-up of Group G on July 1 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 19:00 GMT.

If they finish second in the group, Real will play the winners of Group G at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on June 30 at 9pm (01:00 GMT, July 1).

Has Mbappe won a Club World Cup?

No. Mbappe has never participated in the Club World Cup before, as only one European team – the winners of the UEFA Champions League – entered the tournament under its previous rules.

While Real Madrid have won the tournament on a record five occasions, Mbappe was still plying his trade in the French Ligue 1 at the time, and his then clubs PSG and Monaco did not participate in the competition.

Can Real Madrid win the Club World Cup without Mbappe?

Los Blancos have an impeccable record in club competitions, having won the most European and Club World Cup titles in history. They have won the continent’s premier club competition on five occasions in the last 10 years.

Incidentally, Mbappe was not part of Real’s last La Liga, Champions League and Club World Cup triumphs, having joined the club at the beginning of the 2024-25 season.

It is fair to say the club has done quite well without its star Frenchman, but would not mind having his services for the remainder of the Club World Cup.

French forward Kylian Mbappe is battling illness on the eve of Club World Cup opener for Real Madrid against Al Hilal.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is a doubt for the club’s opening Club World Cup match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal after missing training on Tuesday due to illness.

The club said Mbappe had been suffering from a fever, with newly-appointed manager Xabi Alonso, who will make his debut in the dugout in Wednesday’s match, adding that a decision on his participation would be made in the morning.

“Kylian was a bit better this morning, but he was not fully fit, so we thought it would be best for him to skip training. Let’s see how it evolves, and we’ll make a last-minute decision,” Alonso told a news conference on the eve of the clash at the Hard Rock Stadium.

The potential absence of Mbappe leaves Alonso facing a selection dilemma as the French player is currently the only recognised centre-forward in the squad.

Brazilian teenager Endrick, who could have provided an alternative, was left out of the travelling party following a leg muscle injury sustained during Real’s La Liga fixture at Sevilla last month.

Mbappe has been instrumental for Real Madrid this season, scoring 31 La Liga goals since his high-profile summer move from Paris St Germain.

Regardless of Mbappe’s potential absence, Alonso insisted his team would need to press “like a unit”.

“Defensive work is important. It’s one of the tasks we need to address in the short term, and in the long term, it will be decisive for our success,” the Spaniard said.

Real Madrid enter the tournament as one of the favourites, having dominated European football over the last decade, winning five of the last 10 Champions League titles.

Al Hilal secured their place in the competition by triumphing in the AFC Champions League in 2021, and will look to capitalise on any weakness in Madrid’s lineup.

Real and Al-Hilal were drawn in Group F with Mexican side Pachuca and RB Salzburg of Austria.

Kylian Mbappe says he is not bitter over Paris St-Germain’s Champions League victory less than a year after leaving the club for Real Madrid.

The forward left PSG as the club’s record goalscorer but was unable to win European football’s premier club competition in seven seasons with the French giants before signing for Madrid on a free transfer in July 2024.

PSG cruised past Inter Milan 5-0 to win their first Champions League title on 31 May.

“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” said France captain Mbappe, who scored 256 goals for PSG.

Speaking on Saturday at a news conference before France’s Nations League third-place match with Germany, Mbappe added: “I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me.

“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy – I think they deserved it.

“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.

“They’re the best team in Europe. I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”

The closes Mbappe came to Champions League success with his boyhood club was a runners-up medal following defeat by Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.

Mbappe’s Madrid, who were knocked out by Arsenal at the quarter-final stage of last season’s Champions League, ended the campaign without a trophy for the first time in four years.

The 26-year-old did enjoy some success, though, after scoring 31 La Liga goals to win the European Golden Shoe.

FORMER PSG star Kylian Mbappe has broken his silence after the Parisian giants made history in Munich.

Luis Enrique’s side thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday night to secure a first-ever Champions League crown.

3

3

3

Mbappe spent six years with PSG as the club tried in vain to end its European hoodoo.

The 26-year-old was a beaten finalist in 2020 when Bayern Munich broke French hearts.

Mbappe left for Real Madrid last summer after his contract expired in Paris.

And he sent a gracious message to his former employers as they beat him to a maiden Champions League title.

Taking to Instagram, Mbappe told his 124 million followers: “The big day has finally arrived.

“Victory – and in style – for an entire club. Congratulations @psg.”

Mbappe’s exit from Paris was soured by a spat over unpaid wages.

The forward made a claim of £46.5million against his former club, believing he was owed a signing bonus, his final three months’ salary and an “ethical” payment.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

Enrique was asked about Mbappe following his team’s history-making win on Saturday.

The Spaniard replied: “We would have loved to have him, but his decision was different.”

He then added: “We’ve shown that we have stars at the service of the team, and not the other way around.”

The win was Enrique’s second Champions League triumph after leading Barcelona to glory 10 years ago.

He used the moment to pay tribute to youngest daughter Xana, who tragically died in 2019 at the age of nine from bone cancer.

Champions League final REACTION – PSG 5-0 Inter

Following his blockbuster move last summer, Mbappe has hit the ground running at the Bernabeu.

He scored 42 goals in 55 games across all competitions this term.

But Los Blancos went trophyless, missing out on LaLiga to rivals Barcelona and crashing out of the CL at the quarter final stage to Arsenal.

With 31 league goals and 62 points, Mbappe is European football’s top scorer this season.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has ended his first season in Spain by collecting the European Golden Shoe award.

Mbappe, who also won the Pichichi Trophy for being the top goal scorer in La Liga, scored twice in Real’s final league game on Saturday to overtake Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres at the top of the weighted table, which counts only league goals.

Mbappe, 26, ended with 31 league goals and became the third Real Madrid player to win the award after Hugo Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The last Frenchman to collect the Golden Shoe was Thierry Henry, who won it in 2004 and 2005 with Arsenal.

Mbappe could have been caught on Sunday while he was in Monaco watching the Formula One Grand Prix.

Mohamed Salah, who needed a hat-trick in English champions Liverpool’s last league game, scored once to finish third with 29 goals.

Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, already certain to finish ahead of Real Madrid in the race for the Spanish league title, scored twice on Sunday at Bilbao. He achieved a total of 27 goals for fourth place in Europe and second in the Pichichi.

The Pole won the Golden Shoe twice with Bayern Munich and claimed the Pichichi in 2023.

Last year’s Golden Shoe winner, Harry Kane, finished fifth with 26 Bundesliga goals to go with his league champions medal at Bayern. Mateo Retegui with 25 for Atalanta was the top Serie A player in sixth place.

Gyokeres outscored Mbappe with 39 goals, but the table is weighted. Each goal in the “big five” European competitions – La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A – is doubled. For the next 16 ranked leagues, goals are multiplied by 1.5.

Below that, a goal is just a goal.

In the final calculations, the top five in the rankings were as follows: Mbappe (62 points), Gyokeres (58.5), Salah (58), Robert Lewandowski (54) and Harry Kane (52).

Mbappe, the top scorer in the 2022 World Cup, hit 43 goals in all competitions for Real this season.