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Kylian Mbappe put his friendship with Real Madrid teammate Arda Guler in the spotlight after France's 1-0 win over Türkiye, sharing a photograph of the pair with the caption "Habibi" shortly after Guler had stayed close to him during an injury scare.
"Habibi," a common Arabic term of affection meaning "my dear," accompanied one of two photographs Mbappe shared following the UEFA Nations League League A Group 1 match in Kocaeli.
The French forward also posted another image featuring Guler and fellow Real Madrid teammate Eduardo Camavinga, while the France national team's official social media accounts later shared moments involving the three players with the message "Friends first."
France secured the 1-0 victory through Mbappe, who scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute before running into trouble with his knee shortly afterward.
After initially receiving treatment and returning to play, Mbappe went down again and was taken off in the 59th minute, with Desire Doue coming on in his place.
As Mbappe received treatment on the pitch, Guler walked over to his Real Madrid teammate and remained nearby, an interaction that was picked up by the Spanish press.
Spanish newspaper AS focused specifically on Guler's reaction, reporting that the Türkiye international appeared concerned and tense as he checked on Mbappe's condition.
The exchange between Guler and Mbappe became one of the most discussed moments surrounding the match beyond France's victory, particularly after Mbappe followed it up with his social media posts.
Mbappe was later confirmed to be leaving the France camp and returning to Real Madrid for treatment of his knee problem.
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