Football

Turkey - France: Les Bleus Win 1-0 in Zidane's Debut

France defeated Turkey 1-0 in Zidane's first match as coach, but Kylian Mbappé sustained an injury after scoring.

25 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Turkey - France: Les Bleus Win 1-0 in Zidane's Debut — Archive photoPhoto: Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire) · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

The French team won its first Nations League match, defeating Turkey 1-0 on Friday in Izmit. It was also Zinédine Zidane's first game as head coach of Les Bleus. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring for France but suffered a left knee injury shortly after.

Mbappé scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute. However, while celebrating his goal, he sustained an injury that forced him to leave the pitch. Zidane mentioned Mbappé's condition, indicating that the news regarding the forward was not reassuring.

The match took place in front of an excited Turkish crowd eager to see the new coach welcome Les Bleus. For this debut, the French team displayed a good level of play despite concerns surrounding Mbappé's injury.

This match was historic not only for the result but also for Zidane's role as coach, returning to the forefront after a long absence since his expulsion in the 2006 World Cup final.

Les Bleus will face Belgium in their next match, as the team will have to cope without captain Kylian Mbappé, who will leave the gathering to receive treatment in Madrid.

Initial reactions to the team's performance and the new coach are expected, and questions remain regarding Mbappé's replacement as well as the evolution of his health status.

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