France will have to face Iceland without their captain Kylian Mbappe and defender Ibrahima Konate in Monday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier.
The two key players have been ruled out due to injuries, dealing a blow to the team as they aim to secure an early ticket to next year’s tournament.
Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, suffered a minor ankle problem before joining the national team. During Friday’s 3-0 win over Azerbaijan in Paris, he scored the opening goal but was later substituted after taking two heavy knocks on his right ankle.
France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed that the pain was “quite significant,” leading to Mbappe’s withdrawal from the squad.
“I preferred to take him off because he was hurting,” Deschamps said after the match. The French Football Federation (FFF) later confirmed that Mbappe had been released back to Real Madrid and would not be replaced for the Iceland game.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate also misses the match due to a thigh injury. He had joined the team while still under a recovery program, but after medical assessment, he was declared unfit to play. His position will be filled by Marseille’s Benjamin Pavard.
Their absences add to France’s growing list of unavailable forwards, including Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Desire Doue, and Bradley Barcola. Despite these setbacks, Les Bleus remain in strong form, unbeaten after three qualifying matches and leading Group D.
In Friday’s game, Adrien Rabiot and substitute Florian Thauvin also scored, helping France move closer to qualification.
If France win against Iceland in Reykjavik on Monday and Ukraine fail to beat Azerbaijan, Deschamps’s men will officially book their place in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For now, the French team focuses on finishing the job in Iceland — but they will have to do it without their star captain.
