Zinedine Zidane has begun his tenure as France manager with a historic 1-0 victory over Türkiye in the UEFA Nations League. The win in Kocaeli marked the beginning of a new era for the French national team following Didier Deschamps' departure after 14 years in charge. Zidane, who had been linked with the France job for years, finally took over and immediately ended a sequence where five previous France managers failed to win their first matches.
The record broken by Zidane requires an important distinction. The five managers who succeeded Aimé Jacquet before Zidane did not all lose their opening games; some had draws. Roger Lemerre, Jacques Santini, Raymond Domenech, and Didier Deschamps all began with draws, while Laurent Blanc was the only one to suffer defeat. What united them was that none secured a victory in their first match at the helm. Zidane's historic start was secured by France captain Kylian Mbappé, who scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute.
The goal came after Michael Olise created the opening, allowing Mbappé to finish and give France the lead in a tightly contested encounter. The French side had to withstand periods of pressure from a determined Türkiye team before protecting its advantage until the final whistle. The match was played at Kocaeli Stadium in front of a large home crowd, with Türkiye attempting to make the most of its home advantage. France ultimately held on for the three points.
However, the victory was overshadowed by an injury suffered by Mbappé shortly after scoring. Mbappé was replaced by Désiré Doué in the 59th minute after appearing to suffer a knee problem. Zidane subsequently confirmed that the captain would leave the squad due to the injury, with reports indicating that he is expected to miss France's next three Nations League matches.
The last France coach to win his first match before Zidane was Aimé Jacquet, whose tenure began with a 1-0 victory over Italy in Naples on February 16, 1994. Youri Djorkaeff scored the decisive goal that day as France defeated Italy, setting a benchmark that would remain unmatched by successive coaches for over three decades. There is also a notable connection between Jacquet and Zidane, as Jacquet handed Zidane his first senior international appearance for France in 1994.
Zidane's appointment represents his return to coaching after leaving Real Madrid in 2021. The former France captain spent two separate spells in charge of Real Madrid and enjoyed considerable success, including three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles during his first spell. His decision to remain away from club management for several years intensified speculation about his next destination, with the France job frequently regarded as the role most closely associated with his long-term ambitions.
The victory gives France three points from its opening Nations League fixture and provides Zidane with an immediate platform as he begins his tenure. France will next face Belgium on Monday, September 28, before another encounter with Italy on October 2. The matches will give Zidane further opportunities to develop his tactical approach and assess his players against strong opposition. However, Mbappé's injury means France will have to navigate the next fixtures without its captain.
Key points
- Zidane breaks 32-year record with France debut win.
- Mbappé scores winning goal but suffers injury.
- France faces Belgium and Italy in upcoming Nations League matches.
