Kylian Mbappé was left out of the starting lineup for France's UEFA Nations League match against Belgium following a disappointing 3-1 loss to Italy. Coach Didier Deschamps opted to rotate his squad, replacing Mbappé with Marcus Thuram in a bid to manage fatigue among star players who had limited preseason preparation. This trend of resting key players is also seen across top European teams; for instance, Spain's Lamine Yamal played only the first half against Switzerland, and Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to score for Portugal. Reports indicate that Mbappé's absence is a precautionary measure to avoid injury as he prepares for the upcoming season with Real Madrid. The match against Belgium is crucial for France, who aim to bounce back after their recent defeat.