Zinedine Zidane kicked off his tenure as France manager with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Turkey at the Kocaeli Stadium in Turkey on Saturday, stepping into the role after 14 years of Didier Deschamps’ era at the top of the coaching staff. The opening UEFA Nations League Group A fixture saw Kylian Mbappe score his 67th international goal before limping off with an injury moments later, according to match reports.
Tactical Shifts and a Testing First Half
Zidane deployed an attacking quartet featuring Rayan Cherki, Michael Olise, Mbappe, and Ousmane Dembele in a 4-3-3 formation, a tactical shape that required adjustment since Mbappe had not played on the left wing for the national team in two years. Turkey applied intense early pressure, putting the visitors on the back foot immediately. Just four minutes in, Burak Yilmaz fired a close-range shot that France goalkeeper Mike Maignan tipped away, allowing defender Maxence Lacroix to clear the rebound off the goal line.
Turkey continued to threaten throughout the first half, testing Maignan again in the 28th minute with a strike from Ferdi Kadioglu. France struggled to clear their lines against the high press, though they gradually found their footing. Adrien Rabiot squandered a golden chance right before halftime, sending a shot over the crossbar from close range after receiving a pass from Cherki in the 45th minute.
Mbappe Strikes and Sustains Injury
After the interval, Turkey started strongly again, with Ismail Yuksek forcing another sharp save from Maignan with a header inside the penalty area in the 51st minute. France broke the deadlock three minutes later. Jules Kounde and Cherki combined to feed Olise inside the box, and the winger slipped a pass to Mbappe on the left. The France captain scored the breakthrough.
The celebration was short-lived. Mbappe immediately grabbed his left knee in pain after striking the ball and collapsed to the turf, prompting the coaching staff to substitute him in the 59th minute. Desire Doue replaced the injured captain, making an immediate impact by threatening the Turkish goal with a dangerous strike just three minutes after entering the pitch.
Late Pressure and Red Card Seal the Points
France pushed to extend their lead as the match wore on. Kounde hit the goalpost in the 69th minute, and Olise fired wide three minutes later. Turkey nearly equalized in the 75th minute when Arda Guler tested Maignan, but the goalkeeper held firm.
The hosts’ chances ended in the 85th minute when goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir received a red card for handling the ball outside the penalty area while trying to stop a breakaway by substitute Bradley Barcola. Esteban Lepaul also made his senior international debut for France late in the match as Les Bleus ran down the clock.
With the three points secured, France sits second in Group A behind Belgium, who defeated Italy 2-0 on goal difference.
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