France captain Kylian Mbappé is frustrated that he has to use a face mask at Euro 2024 after breaking his nose in the opener against Austria, saying he is yet to have one with a perfect fit.
Mbappé said on the eve of Monday's last 16 clash with Belgium in Dusseldorf that he would prefer not to wear a mask at all, which however is not possible.
"It is terrible to play with a mask. I am constantly changing it because something bothers me and is not functioning properly," Mbappé said.
"It is difficult to play with a mask. You don't see well, you sweat underneath it. On the first day I felt like I was wearing a pair of 3D glasses, and that it is not me who is playing there.
"I hate it, it is really irritating. I have changed it five times.
The forward admitted he was a bit more cautious when heading the ball but he that "I will head it when I have to because my nose is already broken."
Mbappé is the only French player to have scored so far at the Euros, from a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Poland. The 1-0 win against Austria came from an own goal and the other game against the Netherlands, where Mbappé did not play, ended 0-0.
France are yet to score on their own from ope play and have not really convinced as pre-tournament favourites, just like Belgium who have also underperformed.
"It happens to the best of us," France coach Didier Deschamps said of both teams' wastefulness.
He added: “My players just as they were at the beginning. They are concentrated. The past is the past, now it’s behind us. We know exactly why we’re here and they know what the objective is tomorrow.”
