Zinedine Zidane makes winning France debut as Mbappe injury looms

Zinedine Zidane began his tenure as France manager with a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League. The decisive moment came in the 54th minute when Kylian Mbappe scored his 67th international goal to seal the win.

However, the victory was marred by a knee injury to the captain, who was forced off shortly after finding the net. The match, played in a hostile environment at the Kocaeli Stadium, tested France's defensive resolve, which Zidane hopes will be a hallmark of his team.

Reflecting on the result, Zidane emphasized the importance of tactical discipline. Despite only having three and a half training sessions with the squad, the manager was satisfied with the team's ability to press high and maintain structure.

"Balance is the key to everything. We have players capable of making a difference at any time, but we must maintain a solid collective organization so as not to expose ourselves," Zidane stated after the match.

The focus now shifts to France's upcoming fixture against Belgium on Monday. Zidane faces the challenge of potentially reshuffling his attack if Mbappe is unable to recover in time for the high-profile clash.