Mbappé and Thuram burst out laughing in the San Siro stands

Initially announced as unavailable by Zinédine Zidane, the captain of the French side nevertheless traveled to Milan for the trip to the San Siro on Thursday evening.

Once there, Kylian Mbappé settled in the stands, which prevented him from joining the pitch, contrary to what some Italian media had suggested earlier in the day.

He stayed back, behind his manager Zinédine Zidane, in a row of seats very close to the grass.

The chosen camera angle allowed TF1 viewers in France to regularly see the expression of the Real Madrid player.

Sitting next to Marcus Thuram, his close friend from the squad, Mbappé appeared calm and focused for much of the match.

An Unexpected Moment of Relaxation

In the second half, the two accomplices burst into laughter while looking at the Inter Milan striker's mobile phone.

Mbappé keeps his distance from Zidane to avoid speculation

This clip quickly spread across the web, sparking reactions in Italy, Spain and even England.

Always under the spotlight, Mbappé fully understands the impact of his actions during a decisive match he does not play in.

Last spring, the Real Madrid scorer had already been criticised for posting a story during the Clasico at the Camp Nou against Barça.

France lost 1-3 in a match they should not have let slip so easily.

Hanouna says Zidane sanctioned Mbappé

This defeat, the first setback of the Zidane era, combined with his captain's detached attitude, fuels the debate about his involvement.

According to forecasts, Mbappé could be back on the pitch on Sunday.

A return eagerly awaited, as that is still where he expresses himself best.