French football fans had been eagerly waiting for Zinedine Zidane's debut as the new coach of the French national team. On Friday, September 26, 2026, Zidane's first match in charge ended with a 1-0 win against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League. The match was played at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, Turkey. Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game, notching his 67th international goal.
Mbappe's goal came from the left wing, a position he was moved to by Zidane, after being used through the middle of the France attack under former coach Didier Deschamps at the recent World Cup. The goal was scored when Mbappe controlled and fired in low at the near post after being set up by Michael Olise. However, the win was overshadowed by Mbappe's knee injury, which he sustained during the match.
The injury occurred when Mbappe winced in pain as his teammates came across to celebrate the goal. He tried to carry on after receiving treatment but eventually had to be replaced by Desire Doue due to the severity of the injury. The extent of the injury is yet to be determined, and France will now nervously wait to discover the impact it will have on their upcoming games.
Zidane's first team selection was not dramatically different from the side that regularly played at the World Cup. However, there were some changes, including Adrien Truffert starting at left-back and Rayan Cherki coming into the starting XI. The French team dominated the match, with Olise having a chance to open the scoring late in the first half, but his superb strike was tipped over by the Turkish goalkeeper.
Turkey had a chance to equalize at the start of the second half when Abdulkerim Bardakci's attempt was tipped over by the French goalkeeper, Mike Maignan. The visitors later saw Jules Kounde hit the post before Turkey were reduced to 10 men late on. The Turkish goalkeeper, Ugurcan Cakir, was sent off for handling the ball outside his area while trying to halt Bradley Barcola.
Zidane's debut win sets a positive tone for his tenure as France coach. The team will now face Belgium in Brussels on Monday. Zidane's home debut as coach will be against Italy at the Stade de France next Friday. The French team will be looking to build on this win and make a strong impression under their new coach.
The win also marked a good start for Zidane, who is making his return to elite coaching for the first time since his second stint in charge of Real Madrid ended in 2021. The France legend and 1998 World Cup winner will be looking to lead the team to success in the UEFA Nations League and beyond.
Key points
- Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game before suffering a knee injury in France's 1-0 win against Turkey.
