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Zidane evasive on clash with Spain, and clears Mbappe of "selfishness" charge

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France booked their ticket to the quarter-finals after topping Group A with 13 points, while Turkey bowed out after finishing bottom of the group without a single point.

The Touchline network published Zidane's comments during the press conference, where the France coach said: "Our goal was to qualify, and we achieved exactly that. The job is done."

He continued: "I was very happy with Kylian Mbappe's performance today. He played with a team spirit and was not selfish, and he deserved to score two or three goals."

Zidane added: "Mbappe created chances for himself, and I really liked what he offered off the ball."

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The frustration crept in elsewhere. "When I do not see what I want to see on the pitch, it is only natural to feel some frustration, especially regarding the pressing. We were letting them play. We were not good at all, we got everything wrong. I was not satisfied."

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Meanwhile, Foot Mercato published Zidane's response on the prospect of facing Spain in the last eight.

Spain finished their group behind England, setting up a possible renewal of that clash. France could also draw Denmark, Greece or Germany, among others, depending on how Monday evening's matches unfold.

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Asked about the possibility of facing Spain again, a country he knows well and still calls home, the French coach refused to be drawn.

"We will see which team we face," he said. "We will get some rest, and we will think about it later. We will see what happens in March."

Senior Editor

I am an Egyptian journalist specializing in sports, working for the Kooora website since 2016.

My journalism journey began after graduating from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University (Journalism Department) in 2011, and I joined the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate in 2017.

At Kooora, I found the football passion that has been with me since childhood, following news of global clubs—especially Real Madrid—as well as Egyptian clubs, particularly Al Ahly SC.

My journey with football began by supporting Al Ahly from a very young age, then following the 1998 FIFA World Cup at the age of 8. I became attached to legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazário, and Rivaldo, along with other skillful players of that era like Davor Šuker, Bebeto, Iván Zamorano, Marcelo Salas, and Ariel Ortega, as well as strikers like Michael Owen, Patrick Kluivert, Gabriel Batistuta, Samuel Eto'o, and David Trezeguet.

Since UEFA Euro 2004, which ended with Greece winning the title, I began closely following the legend Cristiano Ronaldo, whom I consider the greatest in football history due to his remarkable career, especially during his time with Real Madrid, my favorite club worldwide.

My professional experience is centered on writing news, providing analysis, covering both international and local events, as well as editorial reviewing (desk work).

During my time at Kooora, I have published several series, including “Great but…”, “Legitimate Betrayal”, and “Mercato AI”, in addition to a variety of reports.

You can follow me through my personal pages on the following social media platforms:

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