Kylian Mbappe is reportedly reluctant to undergo knee surgery as he looks to safeguard his chances of playing at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, İdman.Biz reports.
According to AS, the France international has been struggling with knee ligament discomfort since December 2025. The issue forced him to miss the second leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off tie against Benfica, a match the Spanish giants edged 2-1.
Despite the ongoing problem, Mbappe is said to favour a conservative course of treatment rather than an operation, which could sideline him for an extended period and potentially jeopardise his participation in next summer’s global showpiece. With France expected to be among the leading contenders, the 27-year-old is determined to avoid any major disruption at this stage of the campaign.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 following a high-profile departure from Paris Saint-Germain, having previously risen to prominence at Monaco. He has enjoyed a prolific season in Spain, scoring 38 goals and providing six assists in 33 appearances across all competitions, underlining both his importance to Carlo Ancelotti’s side and the delicate balance between short-term performance and long-term fitness.
