Eye on Mbappé training gives clearer hint at fitness concerns ahead of France vs Spain

Not a grimace. Not a limp. Not even the slightest sign of discomfort. Kylian Mbappé trained as normal on Monday, putting to rest the injury concerns that had surrounded France’s captain ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal against Spain.

Les Bleus trained at SMU’s campus in Dallas at the same time of day as the semifinal will kick off, meaning they had to cope with temperatures of around 86°F. Combined with the city’s high humidity, conditions felt even hotter, providing another demanding test before the biggest game of France’s tournament so far.

Questions over Mbappé’s fitness had grown after he appeared to finish the quarterfinal against Morocco with an ankle problem. Television cameras later spotted him wearing a protective brace on the affected ankle, prompting speculation that he could be carrying an injury into the semifinal.

The forward, however, now appears to have avoided anything serious. After spending the day following the Morocco victory resting completely, Mbappé returned to training over the weekend, taking part in the portion of the session open to the media. His latest appearance in Dallas, following France’s near five-hour trip to Texas, confirmed he is fully available for Didier Deschamps.

That means Deschamps is expected to have his strongest possible starting lineup available, with Aurélien Tchouaméni also returning after missing the previous match.

France is expected to line up with Mike Maignan in goal; Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Lucas Digne across the back; Tchouaméni alongside Adrien Rabiot in midfield; Désiré Doué, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé behind Mbappé in attack.

With their captain fit and one of their key midfielders back, France heads into its showdown with Spain at full strength as it looks to reach another World Cup final.

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