Three Locked Vertebrae and Unable to Get Out of Bed: Mbappé Reveals Hidden Ordeal Before 2018 Semi-Final

Kylian Mbappé revealed that he played in the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Belgium with three locked vertebrae, unable to get out of bed on the morning of the match. The French striker, who is about to play his third consecutive semi-final against Spain on Tuesday, disclosed details of an injury that was carefully concealed at the time.

“I can’t feel my back anymore. No mobility at all. Impossible to get out of bed and go to breakfast. I call the coach to tell him I can’t move,” he recounted. The diagnosis from France’s team doctor, Franck Le Gall, was clear-cut: three locked vertebrae. Mbappé had to skip the final training session before the clash against the Red Devils.

It was the France team’s osteopath, nicknamed Tizote, who allowed the Bondy native to take his place. “He saved me,” Mbappé confided, describing the efforts made to escape media scrutiny: “We had to try to hide it, especially from the press. So I tried to stay as upright as possible even though I wasn’t walking well.” Despite persistent pain on the day itself, he played in the semi-final and then the final, which France won against Croatia.

This relationship of trust with Tizote extended well beyond 2018. Mbappé gave a telling illustration of this, recalling his nose injury sustained at Euro 2024: “We did a boxing session together. I was putting all my strength into it, but he couldn’t hit me. It wasn’t equal, but we had a good laugh.”

For this semi-final against Spain, concerns arising from his early exit against Morocco in the quarter-finals were quickly dispelled. Mbappé suffered only a collision with a Lions of the Atlas player and resumed training normally the following Sunday.