Kylian Mbappe pauses Real Madrid season to be fully fit for 2026 World Cup

​Kylian Mbappe has decided to put his Real Madrid season on hold so he can focus on being fully fit for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

“This time, he is not taking any risks,” journalist Antoine Simonneau explained, noting that Mbappe is determined to arrive at the tournament at 100%. His camp has made it clear he will not return to action until he is completely recovered.

Mbappe has been dealing with a left knee sprain suffered in December against Celta de Vigo but continued playing for months, even featuring against Deportivo Alaves, CF Talavera and Sevilla. He pushed through the pain in an effort to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as Real Madrid’s top scorer in a calendar year, a decision that ultimately aggravated the problem.

The forward also travelled to Morocco to watch Africa Cup of Nations games, which reportedly worsened the injury. He has now gone back to France to see a leading specialist, the same doctor who treated Karim Benzema, for a full assessment before deciding when to return.
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