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 RB 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.
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