Forward Kylian Mbappe has been accused of insulting Robert Lewandowski as a “son of a bitch” after being slapped in the face during the Euro 2024 match where France drew with Poland. In the 87th minute, Mbappe contested from behind Lewandowski just as the Polish forward swung his arm and struck the French captain’s face. The new signing for Real Madrid lay on the ground holding his face for a moment, then pulled up his protective mask and reportedly said, “That guy is indeed a son of a bitch,” according to French outlet Foot Mercato.

Mbappe suffered a broken nose in France’s Euro 2024 opener against Austria but opted against surgery to continue playing in the tournament, wearing a protective mask. He missed only one match before returning to start for France against Poland. This incident may have made the 26-year-old forward more sensitive to impacts on his face.

Mbappe opened the scoring for France from a penalty, but Lewandowski equalized with his own penalty kick. Poland exited the tournament with one point, while France lost the top spot in Group D to Austria, thereby landing in a tough knockout round with Germany, Spain, and Portugal.

The clash between Mbappe and Lewandowski is expected to fuel further headlines in the Spanish media. France’s captain is the new star of Real Madrid, while Lewandowski plays for Barcelona. These two clubs are arch-rivals in La Liga, and their players often have a strained relationship.

Mbappe also recently ended his goal drought with his first-ever goal in European Championships. Meanwhile, Lewandowski became the third player in history to score in four Euro tournaments, following Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric. After the match, Mbappe reportedly said something to his senior when Lewandowski approached to shake hands.