Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has been hospitalised with an acute case of gastroenteritis, the Spanish club announced Thursday, casting doubt over his participation in the remainder of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The 25-year-old French international had already missed Madrid’s opening match of the tournament — a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Wednesday — due to a high fever. Now, his condition appears more serious than initially believed.
“Our player Kylian Mbappé 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,” the club said in an official statement.
Gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as the stomach flu, is an intestinal infection marked by symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramps. While typically not serious, it can severely impact athletic performance and hydration levels.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso had expressed hope earlier in the week that Mbappé might recover in time for Sunday’s key clash against Mexico’s Pachuca. However, the player’s hospitalisation raises new concerns about whether he will be able to feature at all in the remainder of the U.S.-hosted tournament.
Mbappé trained with the Madrid squad as recently as Sunday at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but he did not take part in Tuesday’s final session before the Al Hilal match.
Without their marquee striker, Madrid struggled to break down Al Hilal’s defence. The team squandered a late opportunity to claim victory after Federico Valverde missed a penalty in the closing minutes.
Mbappé’s last match came in international duty, scoring in France’s 5–4 semifinal loss to Spain at the UEFA Nations League. He also featured in the third-place match against Germany.
With input from Al Jazeera
