Kylian Mbappé's start under Zinedine Zidane was not entirely ideal, despite the winning goal he scored in the new coach's first match in charge of the French national team. The French captain found himself on the left wing, a role in which he looked far from comfortable.
Mbappé still made his mark against Turkey. He scored the only goal in a 1-0 win before limping off with pain in his left knee. His positioning on the left wing left the Real Madrid striker frustrated, according to French website "Foot Mercato".
The decision jars with the role Mbappé now plays at Real Madrid, where he has drifted into more central areas, and it clashes with Zidane's attacking vision for France.
Zidane wants to hand his players greater freedom on the pitch. Esteban Lepoul confirmed as much after the match, explaining that the coach places more responsibility on the players and lets them make their own decisions.
Mbappé may have been one of the key factors in France's win at the start of the Zidane era, but his new position could become one of the thorniest tactical issues the coach faces over the coming international breaks, especially if the captain keeps struggling out on the left.
His injury now gives Zidane a chance to test other attacking solutions. The question lingers: does the coach stick with his captain on the left wing, or reshape his attack to suit Mbappé's preferred position?