Zidane Opens France Tenure Against Turkey in Nations League
The short version
- Zinedine Zidane's first game as France head coach is Friday against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League at Kocaeli Stadyumu.
- He succeeds Didier Deschamps, who managed France for 14 years and won the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League.
- Kylian Mbappe, France's captain and leading scorer, is expected to lead the attack, likely with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.
- France fell to Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, underscoring questions about team balance.
Zinedine Zidane takes charge of his first France match on Friday against Turkey, with Kylian Mbappe expected to spearhead the attack.
Zinedine Zidane's first match as France head coach comes Friday, when Les Bleus travel to Kocaeli Stadyumu to face Turkey in the UEFA Nations League. He steps in for Didier Deschamps, who spent 14 years at the helm. During that run, Deschamps guided France to two World Cup finals, lifting the trophy in 2018, won the 2021 Nations League, and reached the Euro 2016 final.
Much of Zidane's outlook may rest on Kylian Mbappe, who played a central role under the previous regime as well. The Real Madrid forward serves as France's captain and all-time leading scorer, and he claimed the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup. This season, the 27-year-old has racked up 10 goal involvements in all competitions, a figure bettered by only one French player in Europe's top five leagues.
Mbappe is set to front the attack in Turkey, with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele probable starters alongside him if Zidane deploys his preferred 4-3-3. That trio opened together in seven of France's eight matches, playing within a front four that also featured either Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue.
France carry arguably the deepest attacking group on the continent, but how Zidane balances that firepower against strong opposition may define his tenure. The World Cup semi-final loss to Spain exposed that issue. France enter Friday's match as heavy favorites, giving Zidane an early chance to signal a fresh direction from the Deschamps era.
