Kylian Mbappé was reportedly misdiagnosed with a knee injury in December 2025 after a mix-up by Real Madrid’s medical team.
According to The Athletic (via Vietnam.vn), doctors mistakenly performed an MRI on his right knee instead of the injured left one.
The scan showed no damage, allowing Mbappé to continue playing three matches despite swelling in his left knee.
The true extent of the injury was only discovered later when further tests, including an X-ray on the correct leg, revealed a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament.
Despite this, the club issued a medical report on December 31, 2025, describing the problem as a knee sprain and recommending a cautious rehabilitation plan.
Mbappé first experienced discomfort after a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo on December 7 following a heavy collision.
Although he missed the game against Manchester City on December 10, he went on to play the full 90 minutes in Real Madrid’s final three matches of the year.
After the Christmas break, concerns grew when he was seen repeatedly holding his left knee during training on December 30.
He was subsequently left out of the squad that travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atlético Madrid.
In the final against Barcelona on January 11, 2026, Mbappé came off the bench for just 14 minutes in a 3-2 defeat — a result that led to the dismissal of coach Xabi Alonso.
Under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, he featured in eight of the next 10 matches, scoring nine goals, with his last appearance coming on February 21.
However, the injury persisted. He missed the March 2 match against Getafe, beginning a run of five consecutive absences.
Mbappé later returned to Paris for further tests and specialised treatment on his knee.
