Zinedine Zidane's first match as France coach ended with a 1-0 victory over Turkey in a Nations League Group A1 fixture Friday in Kocaeli, though the result was overshadowed by an injury to Kylian Mbappé.
Mbappé scored in the 54th minute after Michael Olise, described as the 2026 World Cup's best passer, threaded a fine pass to the French captain on the edge of the penalty area. Mbappé rifled in a low shot to give France the lead. The goal marked Mbappé's 67th for the national team, improving his own record as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer.
Minutes after scoring, Mbappé sat on the ground clasping his left leg around the knee area. He was substituted out within minutes, forcing Zidane to make an early change to his lineup. The nature and severity of the injury were not immediately disclosed.
France's attacking setup featured Mbappé on the left flank and fellow Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembélé through the middle, with Olise on the right wing and Manchester City's Rayan Cherki in midfield. Turkey proved to be a competitive opponent despite the bumpy playing surface at the stadium. In the 51st minute, Turkey had a chance to take the lead when Bardakci's header toward goal was saved by France goalkeeper Maignan, who made what was described as an excellent save to keep the ball out.
In other Group A1 matches, Belgium defeated Italy 2-0 in Rome. Mika Godts, the new Paris Saint-Germain forward, scored in the 20th minute with a goal described as impressive, dribbling past two defenders before finishing. Dodi Lukebakio of Benfica added a second goal in the 69th minute with a shot from outside the area. The loss marked a difficult start for Italy's rebuild under returning coach Roberto Mancini, who took charge after the team failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups.
Elsewhere in the competition, Northern Ireland defeated Georgia 1-0 in Tbilisi for a first-ever victory in League B. Ukraine beat Hungary 1-0, and Sweden won 2-1 at home against Romania.