France captain Kylian Mbappe will miss Thursday's UEFA Nations League encounter against Italy after suffering a hamstring problem, dealing a setback to Zinedine Zidane's side as they seek to secure qualification for the quarter-finals.
Zidane confirmed the Real Madrid forward's absence on Wednesday, November 11, after Mbappe experienced discomfort and missed the team's training session ahead of the fixture in Milan.
The France coach said the decision was taken as a precaution to avoid aggravating the problem, with the team hoping to have their captain available for Sunday's meeting with Turkey in Bordeaux.
"He will miss tomorrow, he felt a little pain and we won't take any risk. It's a shame to lose players but it's part of the game. I hope that it's nothing too serious and that he'll be available for Sunday. It's just a minor issue."
Mbappe's absence comes at an important stage of France's Group A1 campaign, with the team facing Italy at the San Siro before concluding their group fixtures against Turkey.
Les Bleus currently lead the group with 10 points from four matches after recording three victories and one draw. Italy are second with seven points, while Belgium sit third with six.
Victory against Italy would guarantee France a place in the Nations League quarter-finals, scheduled for March 2027, allowing Zidane's side to secure progression before their final group match.
The two sides previously met in September, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Stade de France, with Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma producing an impressive performance to deny the hosts victory.
Mbappe had missed that encounter after sustaining a knee injury while scoring the winning goal in France's 1-0 victory over Turkey on September 25. The forward subsequently missed France's next three matches before returning to the squad for the current international window.
His latest setback therefore interrupts his return to international action, although Zidane remains hopeful that the problem will not keep him out for an extended period.
France are also dealing with other injury concerns. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram withdrew from the squad, while defender Pierre Kalulu was also unavailable.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Senny Mayulu received his first senior call-up, while Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi was brought in following Thuram's withdrawal.
Mayulu has impressed at club level, recording three goals and two assists in his last four appearances for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions, earning an opportunity with the senior national team.
Despite his absence from the national squad's preparations, Mbappe has maintained an impressive scoring record at club level, having netted 17 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid this season.
France must now prepare for the meeting with Italy without their captain and leading attacking threat, with Sunday's encounter against Turkey providing another opportunity to complete their group-stage campaign. Zidane will be hoping Mbappe recovers in time to rejoin the team for that fixture.
