Kylian Mbappe has reportedly suffered significant weight loss after a serious case of food poisoning at the Club World Cup.
The Real Madrid star missed all three of their group stage games and was admitted to hospital after the first one with gastroenteritis.
While he featured off the bench in their wins over Juventus and Borussia Dortmund – indeed, scoring a late bicycle kick against the latter – he is now a doubt for the semi-final against his former side Paris Saint-Germain.
His recovery from food poisoning is ongoing and French outlet L’Equipe have publishing shocking details about the extent of the forward’s plight.
Mbappe felt sick as early as June 14, when Los Blancos were flying out from Spain to Miami, and started suffering from dehydration.
While he was not in the squad for their opening clash with Al-Ahli, the club’s medical staff advised that he be taken to hospital, where he was treated for acute gastroenteritis.
Kylian Mbappe has reportedly lost almost a stone after a serious case of food poisoning
The star, pictured before the Club World Cup, was hospitalised after suffering food poisoning
He has missed three of five games this tournament but scored a bicycle kick last time out
The 26-year-old was put on a drip and medical exams linked his plight to a bacteria present in poultry.
In total, it is written that Mbappe has lost six kilograms – almost one stone.
Players often aim for a very specific weight range and as such, losing a stone can throw their preparation for the season off kilter.
Going in the other direction, Kalvin Phillips was publicly accused of being ‘overweight’ by Pep Guardiola after returning to Manchester City following the 2022 World Cup – for being 1.5kg above his weight target.
Mbappe will have time to adapt back to his regular level as Madrid are only due to start their LaLiga campaign against Osasuna on August 19.
In fact, Xabi Alonso’s side are trying to push that date back due to concerns their players will not have had enough rest after the Club World Cup.
Madrid have sent letters to LaLiga expressing their fears over the matter and the league will consider their request, according to The Athletic.
The Spanish players’ association (the AFE) states that players are entitled to three weeks of holiday followed by a pre-season before the campaign starts, according to an agreement reached in 2023.
Real Madrid are seeking to have their start to the LaLiga season postponed for time to recover
They could face Chelsea in the competition final after Enzo Maresca’s men beat Fluminense
Despite his setback, Mbappe has been trying to make the most of his time in the United States
If Real Madrid reach the Club World Cup final, they would play Chelsea on July 13, leaving just over five weeks between the end of this tournament and the start of the LaLiga season.
If Mbappe does play against PSG, he will be going aup against the side he left last summer after seven stellar seasons – but his exit was messy.
According to L’Equipe, Mbappe has only just dropped legal proceedings after filing a legal case against PSG for alleged moral harassment over the way he was treated when he revealed he would not be signing a new deal in the summer of 2023.
As a result of his decision, PSG were desperate to sell him and subsequently excluded him from their pre-season tour that summer, instead forcing him to train with fringe players.
Mbappe was unhappy with this treatment and in his original accusations, he hit out at the ‘lofting’ he had been subjected to. Lofting is a French word used to describe when a player is effectively isolated and put into a bomb squad.
While he has dropped those proceedings, he is still seeking €55million (£46m) in what he alleges are unpaid salary and bonus commitments.
PSG claim he agreed to waive that sum when he left the club and lodged a counter-claim of €98m (£84m).
