An online petition demanding the removal of Kylian Mbappe from Real Madrid's squad has surpassed its initial target of 200,000 signatures, reaching 33 million – nearly half the population of France.

The 'Mbappe Out' petition gained traction on Tuesday, with the tagline: 'Madridistas, make your voice heard. If you believe change is needed, don't stay silent – sign this petition and stand for what you think is best for the club's future.'

Fan discontent stems from photos allegedly showing Mbappe on a yacht in Sardinia with actress Ester Exposito during his recovery from a thigh injury, potentially ruling him out of Sunday's El Clasico against Barcelona.

Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa downplayed the controversy, stating: 'All planning with injured players is supervised by the medical staff. In his free time, Mbappe can do whatever he considers appropriate, like any other player.'

The petition website does not require email or personal details, making it impossible to verify if all 33 million signatories are genuine fans. Such petitions are largely symbolic.

Mbappe is under contract with Real Madrid until 2029 and has returned to training. He is expected to be fit for France's 2026 World Cup campaign.

Source: www.aljazeera.com