France beat Turkey 1-0 in Zinedine Zidane’s first game as coach

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France’s head coach Zinedine Zidane (L) speaks with France’s forward #12 Bradley Barcola during the UEFA Nations League (League A, Group 1) first leg football match between Turkey and France at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, on September 25, 2026. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP)

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Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal as France won 1-0 away to Turkey in new coach Zinedine Zidane’s first game as coach on Friday.

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Captain Mbappe, France’s all-time top scorer, fired in on 54 minutes but injured his left knee while shooting and had to come off in the Nations League game, which the home side ended with 10 men after goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off.

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Zidane, the France legend and World Cup winner in 1998, was appointed in late July to replace former coach Didier Deschamps on a deal to 2030.

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