France kickstarted the Zinedine Zidane era with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Turkey in the Nations League, but the match was overshadowed by concerns regarding the playing surface and a worrying injury to Kylian Mbappe. Despite the difficult conditions, Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki was quick to praise the tactical shift under the legendary former Real Madrid boss.
Zinedine Zidane enjoyed a winning start to his tenure as France head coach as Les Bleus secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Turkey in their UEFA Nations League opener. A second-half strike from Kylian Mbappe proved to be the difference in Kocaeli, marking a historic night for the Real Madrid legend as he returned to the international stage in the dugout.
Kylian Mbappe has been forced to withdraw from the France squad and return to Real Madrid after sustaining a worrying knee injury during international duty. The Les Bleus captain suffered the blow while scoring the decisive goal in a Nations League clash against Turkey, leaving national team manager Zinedine Zidane sweating over his fitness.
Zinedine Zidane successfully navigated his first match as France head coach, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Turkey in the Nations League. However, the historic occasion was marred by a significant injury concern for talisman Kylian Mbappe, who was forced off shortly after scoring the winner.
Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella evaluated the massive impact of missing injured stars Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz ahead of their Nations League double-header. The Italian coach praised Yildiz's world-class potential while preparing for an emotional clash against former team-mate Roberto Mancini's Italy.
Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella admitted that the Turkish Football Federation could have sacked him following their disappointing World Cup campaign. However, the Italian manager expressed gratitude after TFF officials judged his entire three-year tenure to focus on long-term growth in Nations League A.
Zinedine Zidane is ready to embark on a new chapter of his storied career as he prepares for his first match as the head coach of France. The legendary figure, who took the reins following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, admitted to feeling a deep connection to his new role ahead of a Nations League clash with Turkiye.
Turkiye
