Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal as France defeated Türkiye 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League on Friday, giving Zinedine Zidane a winning start in his first match as France head coach.
France opened their 2026-27 Nations League campaign with a narrow victory in Kocaeli, but the result came with concern after Mbappé appeared to hurt his left knee while scoring the decisive goal.
The match was Zidane’s first competitive game in charge of France after replacing Didier Deschamps following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The former France midfielder entered the job under significant attention, and his team secured three points despite struggling to turn possession into clear chances.
Mbappé Decides a Tight Match
France controlled much of the possession during the opening period, but Türkiye’s organized defensive shape made it difficult for the visitors to create clear opportunities.
Michael Olise was one of France’s main attacking outlets, while Rayan Cherki and Ousmane Dembélé also looked to break through the Turkish defense.
Türkiye had opportunities of their own. Early in the second half, Ismail Yüksek came close to putting the hosts ahead, but France goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced an important save to keep the score level.
France responded almost immediately.
In the 54th minute, Michael Olise found Mbappé inside the penalty area after France won possession in an advanced position. The Real Madrid forward finished the move to put France 1-0 ahead.
However, Mbappé appeared to suffer an injury during the scoring action and was replaced by Désiré Doué shortly afterward. The extent of the injury was not immediately clear.
Zidane Begins France Tenure With a Victory
For Zidane, the result provides a positive beginning to his return to international football management.
Before the match, Zidane had spoken about the emotion of leading France for the first time, describing the opportunity as particularly meaningful given his history with the national team.
Mbappé also remained France captain under the new manager. Before the match, the forward had spoken positively about working with Zidane, who had been an influential figure in his early career.
Zidane’s first competitive lineup included a mixture of established stars and younger players as France began a new chapter following Deschamps’ long tenure.
Türkiye Pushes for an Equalizer
The hosts did not give up after falling behind.
Türkiye increased the pressure as the match progressed, with Arda Güler among the players attempting to create opportunities against the French defense.
France struggled at times to maintain control and had to defend increasingly deep during the closing stages.
Türkiye’s task became even more difficult late in the game when goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off after a VAR review determined that he had handled the ball outside his penalty area while stopping a France attack.
Despite the late pressure, France held on for a 1-0 victory.
A New Nations League Campaign Begins
The victory puts France in a strong position at the beginning of League A Group 1, while Türkiye will need to respond in their next fixture.
According to UEFA’s fixture schedule, France’s next Nations League match is away against Belgium on September 28, followed by a home meeting with Italy on October 2. Türkiye will face Italy on September 28.
The opening match therefore gives both teams an early indication of the challenge ahead in a group that also includes Belgium and Italy.
Mbappé Injury Becomes France’s Main Concern
Although France collected three points, Mbappé’s condition will now be closely monitored.
The France captain had already missed a training session earlier in the international break because of flu-like symptoms, although he was subsequently cleared to play against Türkiye.
His injury during the goal therefore adds another concern for Zidane ahead of France’s upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Mbappé remains one of France’s most important attacking players, and his availability could have a significant impact on the team’s attacking options during the international window.
What the Result Means
France’s 1-0 victory gives Zidane three points in his first competitive match as national team manager.
For Türkiye, the narrow defeat will be frustrating after a competitive performance in front of the home crowd. The hosts managed to keep France from creating numerous clear chances but ultimately paid the price for one decisive attacking moment.
The result also continues a long-running competitive relationship between the two nations. Before Friday’s match, France had won four of the previous six meetings, while Türkiye had recorded one victory. The most recent meeting before this game ended 1-1 in Paris during Euro 2020 qualifying.
For now, the headline belongs to Mbappé and Zidane: one scored the winner, while the other began his France managerial era with a victory.
Türkiye 0-1 France: Key Details
- Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026-27
- Group: League A, Group 1
- Venue: Kocaeli Stadium, Türkiye
- Result: Türkiye 0-1 France
- Goal: Kylian Mbappé, 54′
- Assist: Michael Olise
- France manager: Zinedine Zidane
- Türkiye manager: Vincenzo Montella
- Late red card: Uğurcan Çakır
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