It remains to be seen whether Kylian Mbappe will be able to play any further part in France’s Euros campaign, after Les Bleus’ captain and talisman broke his nose in Monday’s 1-0 win over Austria.
If Mbappe is to feature in France‘s second game of Euro 2024 – against the Netherlands on Friday – and beyond, he’s going to have to do it wearing a mask.
He might look a bit ridiculous, but he’d be far from the first footballer to take to the pitch in such, er, style…
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Players who had to play in masks: 1. Paul Gascoigne
After taking a whack to the face during England‘s 1994 World Cup qualifier against Norway in Oslo, Paul Gascoigne had to play the rest of the game in a mask.
In fact, Gazza, who was playing for Lazio at the time, had to don the unfetching accessory for the remainder of the 1992/93 season.
2. Petr Cech
Legendary Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech had played in a rugby-style headguard since returning from a life-threatening head injury he suffered against Reading in 2006.
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In 2011, he had to add another piece of attire: a Batman-esque mask, after sustaining a facial injury during a game against Blackburn Rovers.
3. Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min fractured his eye socket (ouch) when he collided with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba while playing for Tottenham in the Champions League shortly before the 2022 World Cup.
But the South Korea skipper wasn’t going to miss out on captaining his country in the biggest tournament of all, and he played all four of their games in Qatar masked up.
4. Harry Kane
Harry Kane could have picked a better time to break his nose: he did it just before Tottenham’s North London derby clash with Arsenal in early 2016.
And it was absolutely no surprise when Gunners fans mocked him for his new piece of his kit – which he whipped off in celebration after giving Spurs a second-half lead at White Hart Lane.
5. John Terry
Chelsea players have been particularly unlucky in the facial injury department – and iconic captain John Terry was no exception, having to play in a mask for a number of games in 2007.
Terry fractured his cheekbone in the third minute of a West London derby encounter with Fulham – and, in typically warrior-like fashion, carried on until half-time without getting treatment!
6. Paolo Maldini
In 2003, legendary Milan skipper Paolo Maldini, Il Capitan, became Il Mascherato (The Masked One), having broken his nose amid the heat of the derby against Inter.
He had to spend a couple of weeks on the sidelines, before returning for the Rossoneri’s Champions League quarter-final tie with Ajax in a rather makeshift-looking mask.
7. Michael Ballack
German legend Michael Ballack faced former club Chelsea in the 2011/12 Champions League group stage, while turning out for Bayer Leverkusen.
But he won’t been the most familiar face to his old Blues teammates, having to take to the pitch in a fairly beefy mask.
8. Robert Lewandowski
As one of the deadliest strikers of the modern era, Robert Lewandowski has never been afraid to put his head where it hurts.
And we expect it hurt quite a lot when he broke his cheekbone in 2015, forcing him to mask up for Bayern Munich‘s Champions League semi-final encounter with Barcelona.
9. Josko Gvardiol
Another masked man from the 2022 World Cup, Croatia‘s Josko Gvardiol had to sport the look after an unfortunate clash with RB Leipzig teammate Willi Orban.
But it didn’t affect his performances at the tournament, where he starred in his country’s run to the semi-finals.
10. Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen had to wear a mask due to eye socket injury he sustained while playing for Napoli in late 2021.
And the Nigerian striker continues to play in it to this day – not out of any medical need but because it makes him feel safer out on the pitch. Fair enough!
From medical masks to Marvel…
Not all masks are medically necessary; some players pull them on for the sheer fun of it. Facundo Sava didn’t score many goals for Fulham, but when he did he celebrated by whipping a Zorro-esque mask out of his sock.
Sava’s fellow Argentine, Newcastle favourite Jonas Guiterrez, went and outdid him some years later, though, doing likewise but with a Spider-man mask (come on!).
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has celebrated by impersonating Spider-man, Batman and Black Panther, while Raul Jimenez has nodded to his native Mexico with a mask inspired by compatriot and WWE star Sin Cara.
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