Kylian Mbappe has been forced into an unexpected change ahead of France's Euro 2024 last 16 clash against Belgium on Monday.
The France captain wore a mask during Les Bleus' final group game against Poland after suffering a broken nose during the first game against Austria.
Mbappe collided with the shoulder of defender Kevin Danso, and had to be substituted.
He was named on the bench for France's 0-0 draw with the Netherlands, but was not brought on by manager Didier Deschamps.
Advert
Mbappe then opened his account with a penalty in the 1-1 draw against Poland, whipping off his mask to celebrate.
Mbappe and France had to adhere to a number of strict UEFA regulations when it came to the design of the mask, with one of them being that it had to be a colour that didn't clash with his kit.
Now, it has been reported that the forward has encountered a new problem with his current mask.
The Sun say that Mbappe has worn a thinner mask in training ahead of France's last 16 clash against Belgium, over concerns surrounding his peripheral vision being impacted in the Poland match.
It is unclear whether the Frenchman will ditch his current mask and wear the updated version, but it is another challenge for Mbappe after suffering the injury earlier in the tournament.
Speaking earlier this week, manager Deschamps confirmed that Mbappe was indeed having issues with his protective gear.
He said: "Breathing, no [problems]. But vision, yes. It limits a little.
"It's supposed to protect so in certain situations, it limits the angle of view. You have to get used to it, it feels like you have 3D glasses.
"It's better every day. The bruise has gone down a lot - he's getting used to the mask. He wants to play, he's raring to go."
SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated transfer news channel to send you the latest deals, rumours and more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.
Topics: Kylian Mbappe, France, Euro 2024, Injury, Belgium
Ryan Smart