Zidane’s France era opens with Nations League victory in Turkiye

Mbappe strikes as Zidane begins France reign with win over Turkiye

Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal before going off injured as Zinedine Zidane began his reign as France manager with a 1-0 UEFA Nations League win away to Turkiye.

Mbappe scores but goes off injured as France beat Turkiye in Zidane's first match...

Zinedine Zidane’s reign as France head coach began with a win, as Les Bleus claimed a 1-0 victory in Türkiye to take early control of Group A1 in their bid for a second UEFA Nations League title.

Ushering in a new era after their fourth-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France looked dominant, if not entirely comfortable, in the opening stages.

Turkiye played their part well, defending resolutely without neglecting the counter, on which Oguz Aydın raced down the right and cut it back for Barıs Yılmaz, who couldn’t get his shot away.

Their best first-half chance came when a looping ball found Ferdi Kadıoglu unmarked in the box, but his header was weak and straight at Mike Maignan.

France gradually began turning their possession into chances, with the final five minutes of the half producing a flurry of opportunities for the visitors.

Some slick interplay between Ousmane Dembélé and Rayan Cherki ended with the latter’s effort blocked at the last moment by Merih Demiral, before a trademark curling strike from Michael Olise was just tipped over by Uğurcan Çakır.

Looking to reverse the late first-half momentum, Turkiye surged forward after the restart and nearly took the lead when İsmail Yuksek met Arda Güler’s corner, only for his header to be pushed over by Maignan’s sharp reflexes.

Their momentum was halted moments later when sloppy play at the back allowed Olise to find Kylian Mbappé, who expertly finished at the near post.

Unfortunately, France’s all-time record scorer had to be withdrawn after picking up an injury in the act of scoring, but Les Bleus still created chances to extend their lead through Jules Kounde and Olise.

Match stats at a glance

A strong spell from the hosts suggested they might find a way back, but their hopes faded when goalkeeper Çakır was sent off late for handling outside the area while trying to close down Bradley Barcola.

Zidane therefore won his first match in charge, something none of France’s previous five managers managed.

Pour la première de Zinédine Zidane en tant que sélectionneur, nos Bleus prennent les 3 points en Turquie et réussissent leurs débuts en Ligue des Nations 🇫🇷🙌

🇹🇷0-1🇫🇷 #TURFRA pic.twitter.com/B9fHcfhysF

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) September 25, 2026

Despite the disappointment of their group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this spirited display against one of Europe’s top sides suggests Türkiye will be more than just participants in League A.