Tchouameni worsens injury after semifinal: Deschamps in Real Madrid's crosshairs

Aurélien Tchouameni has not played since the 2026 World Cup semifinal against Spain, and his coach at Real Madrid, José Mourinho, confirmed this week that the 26-year-old midfielder aggravated his adductor injury by playing in that match while not fully recovered.

Tchouameni suffered the injury during the round of 16 against Paraguay. Ruled out for the quarterfinal against Morocco, he was started by Didier Deschamps for the semifinal against Spain despite ongoing treatment. A decision whose consequences are now being felt in La Liga.

“He suffered a lot during the World Cup. Which is normal, you suffer during a World Cup. When you have to play while injured at the end of the season, knowing that a month’s vacation will follow, you take risks. That’s what he did. He didn’t play one match, then he played again in the semifinal,” Mourinho said, noting that the club, player and medical staff had jointly decided to wait for his return to 100%.

Absent from Real Madrid’s first two matches of the season, Tchouameni is also ruled out for the home game against Malaga this Sunday in La Liga. On social media, Real Madrid supporters are openly attacking the French national team coach. “Didier Deschamps is really crazy for starting Tchouameni against Spain. He’s completely disappeared since that match,” one user wrote on X. Another regrets that Manu Koné, judged to be in form during the tournament, was not preferred in his place.

No return date has been communicated by Real Madrid so far.