Kylian Mbappe’s participation in the Intercontinental Cup is still in doubt due to a hamstring issue he suffered in the match against Atalanta in the Champions League. Despite this injury, Carlo Ancelotti does not deny the possibility that the French striker could take part in the match. An injury of this magnitude would leave the player 10 days out, so he would miss the game. However, Kylian Mbappe’s injury is not serious and he could recover before the match.
“Kylian’s thing is not serious, he will not be there tomorrow, but he will travel to Qatar and there, we will evaluate the risk,” expressed Carlo Ancelotti in a press conference. Considering his words, Kylian Mbappe may not start in the Intercontinental Cup match, but he could still play some minutes. There is also a possibility that the Frenchman could be fully recovered and start the game. What we can say for sure is that he will travel to Qatar with the team. Fans can rest assured that Kylian Mbappe is not yet ruled out for the match.
This season Kylian Mbappe had already had two muscular injuries, being a player who rarely gets injured in his career. Carlo Ancelotti also commented about Mbappe’s injuries this season. “It’s a difficult thing. In the last few breaks he has been here, resting, working… we don’t know. Fortunately, he will only be out for a short period and I don’t think will lose what he has achieved recently in terms of momentum.”
A very important factor is the pressure Kylian Mbappe has been under since he arrived at Real Madrid. The pressure of being seen as “the best player in the world” and the challenges of adapting to the team may have played a decisive role in the muscle injuries. According to the journal Sports Medicine (Springer), there is a link between stress and the likelihood of injuries, as athletes experiencing intense episodes of stress are more prone to getting injured.
Kylian Mbappe’s impressive durability: Fewer injuries than most soccer players in his career
Kylian Mbappe has played a total of 405 official matches at the professional level by the age of 25. Throughout this time, he has experienced very few injuries, and and those he did sustain were low-risk compared to other players. He has missed just 49 games out of 405. On the same path as Lionel Messi, who has played 914 matches but missed only 182.
In contrast, Neymar Jr.’s case is quite different. He has missed 237 games out of 591 played, and many of his injuries have been serious, forcing him to adjust his style of play. Kylian Mbappe’s physical development is on par with the greatest players who focus on maintaining peak physical condition and taking care of all aspects of their daily routines to prevent serious injuries.
Kylian Mbappe’s momentum: His remarkable evolution has elevated his performance
Kylian Mbappe’s injury comes at a time when he has been in his best form since arriving at Real Madrid. Having spent much of his career as a left winger, his transition to playing as a center forward at Real Madrid has added complexity to his adaptation. Traditionally, Mbappe’s style revolved around starting from the left wing and cutting inside to finish, a role that contrasted with the demands of his new position.
At Real Madrid, Vinicius Jr. has been one of the best players in the world and the club’s standout performer in recent seasons, making it unthinkable to shift his role. As a result, Kylian Mbappe had to adjust to a position vastly different from the one that propelled him to stardom. His professionalism and work ethic have made this transition a success, and he has been playing at a high level as a central striker, pressing defensively, making runs behind opposing center-backs, and exploiting space inside their lines.