Rabat – Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury was initially misdiagnosed after Real Madrid’s medical staff carried out an MRI scan on the wrong leg in December, according to French news outlet RMC Sport.
The scan was performed on his right knee, which was not injured, and showed no issues. Mbappe then went on to play three matches before the error was identified.
People close to Mbappe said the forward had already been experiencing inflammation in his left knee at the time.
A second scan, this time on the correct leg, later revealed a partial tear in the posterior ligament. On December 31, Madrid released a medical update describing the problem as a knee sprain, without going into specific detail about the extent of the injury.
It remains unclear how the initial mistake occurred. The club and the players’ representatives did not publicly comment.
Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury was misdiagnosed after Real Madrid medical staff performed an MRI scan on the wrong leg back in December.
When no problem was found after a scan of his uninjured right knee, the 27-year-old featured in three games for Madrid before the mistake was… pic.twitter.com/DMWC5aLWAY
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) March 24, 2026
Mbappe’s knee issue
The first signs of discomfort appeared after Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo on December 7. According to members of the coaching staff, Mbappe took a knock to the knee during that match.
Three days later, he was left on the bench for a Champions League game against Manchester City. Despite that, he returned to play full matches in the club’s final three fixtures of the year, during which he equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 59 goals in a calendar year.
When the team resumed training after the winter break on December 30, Mbappe was seen holding his left knee while speaking with medical staff. A day later, the club confirmed the injury and outlined a conservative treatment plan.
The 27-year-old missed the trip to Saudi Arabia for the Supercopa semi-final against Atletico Madrid, and returned later for the final against Barcelona on January 11, appearing briefly from the bench in a 3-2 defeat. That result led to the departure of then-head coach Xabi Alonso.
In the following weeks, Mbappe featured in eight of Madrid’s next 10 matches, scoring nine goals. However, his training workload was adjusted under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who said the player’s condition was being monitored closely.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Arbeloa said before a league match against Getafe on March 2. “It depends on how he feels.”
Mbappe did not play in that match and instead travelled to Paris for further medical checks, accompanied by club staff.
Ongoing concerns in Madrid
Madrid have made several changes to their medical and fitness departments in recent months, with Antonio Pintus returning and Dr. Niko Mihic leading medical services. The squad still faces recurring challenges related to injuries.
Following Mbappe’s trip to Paris, the club repeated its earlier diagnosis and confirmed that the same recovery approach would continue.
One staff member at the training ground said Mbappe’s condition has varied from day to day, with periods of discomfort affecting his availability. Another added that the knee has not shown signs of instability, allowing him to play when pain-free.
Mbappe recently returned as a substitute in Madrid’s Champions League win over Manchester City and again in a league 3-2 win against Atletico Madrid.
He has now joined the France squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Colombia in the United States.
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