Zinédine Zidane began his tenure as head coach of the French national football team (Les Bleus) with a narrow 1-0 win away in Turkey, in a UEFA Nations League fixture played on 25 September 2026. Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal of the match in the second half, though the France captain subsequently went off with an injury and will be sidelined for the team's next three Nations League games. The result marks a positive, if cautious, start for the legendary former France midfielder as he takes on one of international football's most high-profile managerial roles.