Will Kylian Mbappe start for France against Poland in UEFA Euro 2024?

Kylian Mbappe injured his nose against Austria in France’s opening match.

After being initially ruled out of the group stage due to a broken nose suffered during their opening Group D win against Austria, France captain Kylian Mbappé made a stunning comeback in the very next game, where he was on the substitute bench for a crucial match against the Netherlands.

Even though Mbappé was an unused substitute in the game by coach Didier Deschamps, his availability after such a brutal injury shocked football fans worldwide. Initially, the Real Madrid forward was medically ruled out for the remainder of the group-stage games, but he was soon cleared to participate with a protective mask to avoid further damage.

Instead of replacing Mbappé with a like-for-like change in the massive game against the Netherlands, Deschamps opted for a tactical tweak that involved adding an extra body in midfield, for which he picked Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni to control the game.

Despite the game being level at 0-0, Deschamps opted against using Mbappé, even as a late-impact substitute, to secure the crucial match-winning goal.

Kylian Mbappé is expected to start on the bench against Poland

Entering the final round of group stage matches, Group D is tightly poised with France in second on 4 points, level with table-toppers Netherlands, and just a point behind tournament dark horse Austria.

This is a crucial game for France, as they hope to finish the group stage as table-toppers heading into the dreaded and unexpected knockout rounds. Despite already being eliminated from Euro 2024, Poland could prove to be a tricky opponent on the final matchday, as they have nothing to play for and will look to exit the tournament with pride.

Also read: UEFA Euro 2024: Nicknames of all 24 nations

Didier Deschamps is expected not to risk Mbappé by starting him for the final group game against Poland, with the star-studded Les Bleus squad looking to get the job done without the services of their star captain.

Deschamps is not looking to make many changes to the team, as he waits patiently to utilize a fit and explosive Mbappé during the crucial knockout stages of Euro 2024.

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