Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard: Kylian Mbappé’s knee was misdiagnosed

MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 22: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid CF looks on during the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid at Bernabeu stadium on March 22, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images In an incredible report from journalists Guillermo Rai and Mario Cortegana of The Athletic , Kylian Mbappé’s knee injury was misdiagnosed when the medical staff took a scan of the wrong knee, which showed no damage: Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury was misdiagnosed after Real Madrid medical staff performed an MRI scan on the wrong leg back in December.

When no problem was found after a scan of his uninjured right knee, the 27-year-old featured in three games for Madrid before the mistake was realised and rectified. Sources with first-hand knowledge of the situation — who, like all those consulted for this article, asked to speak anonymously as they did not have permission to comment — said Mbappe continued playing after that initial erroneous scan despite having signs of inflammation in his injured left knee. A further scan on his left leg then showed a partial posterior knee ligament tear, and on December 31, Madrid published a medical report consistent with that, although they described the injury in more general terms as a knee sprain.

It is unclear how the initial mistake was made. The Athletic contacted Mbappe’s representatives five times before publication on Tuesday, but they declined to comment. Mbappe later called the claim that the wrong knee was examined “not true.

” The Athletic goes into a deep dive of the injury situation at Real Madrid and also a comment from Mbappé, where the star forward seeks to control some of the damage. For all the criticism levied at Bayern Munich’s staff, at least this has not happened (that we know of). Oh, and if you were wondering about the headline… If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast , Spotify , Apple , or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!