Mbappé Sidelined by Flu as Zidane’s France Camp Faces Challenges

The mood at Clairefontaine dipped on Tuesday. Out on the pitches, Zinedine Zidane drove through another sharp session with his new France squad. Inside, their captain stayed away from the action.

Kylian Mbappé, laid low by flu, was unable to take part in outdoor training, the French camp confirmed. The minor illness kept the 27-year-old indoors for individual work, away from his team-mates and the tactical drills being installed on the grass.

The timing is awkward. Mbappé is preparing to lead his country into what feels like a fresh era, and this camp is the first real examination of Zidane’s tenure since he took over after the 2026 World Cup.

Zidane has inherited an embarrassment of riches, but the absence of his talisman complicates the early days. Mbappé is the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 22 goals, the reference point around whom so many attacking plans naturally form. Take him out of the picture, even briefly, and the blueprint needs tweaking.

Out on the training field, the rest of the group pressed on, working through high-intensity drills and shape work as they tuned into their new coach’s demands. The message was clear: the Zidane era will not wait for anyone, even if the captain is temporarily confined indoors.

The schedule gives them no breathing space. France are staring at a congested run over the next fortnight: a tricky trip to Turkey on Friday 25 September, a journey to Belgium three days later, then back home to face Italy on 2 October. Another clash with Belgium follows on 5 October. Four games in quick succession, four chances for the squad’s depth and resilience to be exposed.

Inside the medical rooms at Clairefontaine, the priority is simple: get Mbappé back as soon as his body allows. Flu is a routine seasonal problem, not a long-term concern, and the medical staff expect him to return to full training once the symptoms subside.

The question now is not if he will be available during this run, but when – and how Zidane chooses to use him. A final call on whether Mbappé starts in Turkey or is held back for the matches that follow will be taken closer to kick-off.

Zidane’s first major camp in charge was never going to be dull. Now he has to navigate its opening chapter without the constant presence of his captain on the pitch.