Kylian Mbappe, the captain and star striker of the French national team, is starting in their Euro 2024 quarterfinal match against Portugal at the Volsparkstadion Hamburg in Germany on Friday. However, Mbappe is facing a unique challenge: his broken nose and the subsequent face masks are affecting his peripheral vision.
Mbappe sustained a broken nose in France’s opening 1-0 win over Austria and missed the subsequent 0-0 draw with the Netherlands. He returned to the starting lineup for their final group stage match against Poland, where he scored a penalty in the 56th minute, his first-ever goal in the Euros. Despite his return, Mbappe has been struggling to adapt to the masks.
“You’ve got the sweat aspect and we know sweat can get in his eyes. He’s getting used to it, but it can affect his vision,” coach Didier Deschamps said. “Everything in front of him is fine, but there’s a delay with his peripheral vision.” Mbappe has worn three different masks since the tournament began, most recently in the round of 16 victory against Belgium, where he failed to hit the target in five attempts on goal.
Despite the vision problems, Mbappe remains a crucial player for France. He is the third-highest goalscorer for his country and recently changed clubs, moving on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid. He is also leading his country into a major tournament for the first time.
The quarterfinal match against Portugal will be a major test for Mbappe and France. His vision problems could affect his performance, but his leadership and talent will be crucial for their hopes of winning the tournament.
