Mbappe Injury Overshadows Zidane’s First France Win in Turkey
France opened Zinedine Zidane’s reign with a 1-0 Nations League win in Turkey, but Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury has immediately become the major concern after the captain scored and then limped off.
Mbappe goal delivers Zidane’s first win
Mbappe struck in the 54th minute to settle a difficult away match and give Zidane three points in his first game as France coach. It made Zidane the first Frenchman to win his opening match in charge of the national team since Aimé Jacquet beat Italy more than 32 years ago.
- Mbappe’s finish was his 67th goal for France, scored on his 107th international appearance.
- Jules Kounde and Rayan Cherki forced the issue before Michael Olise found Mbappe free in the box.
- The Real Madrid forward drove a low shot beyond Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
- France had struggled to establish their passing game during a scrappy first half on a poor surface.
Zidane’s selection offered an early indication of his tactical plans. Ousmane Dembele started through the middle as the number nine, a position he has often occupied for Paris Saint-Germain, while Mbappe was used from the left to give France speed in transition.
The attacking combinations were not always smooth, but France’s defensive shape held up under pressure. Mike Maignan made an important save early in the second half, keeping out a Yuksek header as Turkey threatened to score first.
Captain leaves with knee concern
The decisive moment was followed quickly by a setback. Mbappe went down shortly after his goal, received treatment and tried to continue, but was unable to play on at full intensity.
Desire Doue replaced him in the 59th minute, with Mbappe walking straight to the tunnel while limping. He is due to undergo an initial medical check within hours, followed by further scans over the next 24 hours to establish the extent of the knee issue.
- France will decide after the assessment whether Mbappe can remain with the squad.
- A return to Real Madrid is possible if the examination rules him out.
- Ibrahima Konate has already left the camp for Spain after suffering a minor knee sprain in training.
Turkey reduced to 10 but France cannot add to lead
Turkey’s task became harder late on when Cakir was dismissed following a VAR review. The goalkeeper was judged to have handled deliberately outside his penalty area as Bradley Barcola broke forward.
France could not make their extra man count with another goal. Kounde hit the post, while Doue was denied by a late save, leaving Zidane’s side to see out a narrow victory.
The result gives the new coach a winning start, but the immediate next step is Mbappe’s diagnosis. Zidane must also continue building cohesion after a performance that showed defensive resilience but clear room for improvement in possession and attack.
