Mbappe goal overshadowed by knee injury to mar Zidane debut France win | Football
Kylian Mbappe Shines in France’s 1-0 Victory Over Turkiye, but Suffers Injury
Published: September 25, 2026
Kylian Mbappe scored the lone goal in France’s 1-0 triumph over Turkiye in the UEFA Nations League on Friday, but his performance was marred by a knee injury that forced him to leave the match early.
The Real Madrid striker, in his first game under new coach Zinedine Zidane, was deployed on the left wing after previously playing through the center during the World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals.
Mbappe netted his 67th international goal after expertly controlling a pass from Michael Olise and firing a low shot past Turkiye’s goalkeeper, Ugurcan Cakir, at the near post. His celebration was short-lived, as he appeared to grimace in pain and required medical attention shortly afterward.
Despite attempts to continue playing, Mbappe eventually fell to the ground, visibly concerned about his left knee. He was later substituted for Desire Doue. Both the French national team and Real Madrid are now anxiously awaiting updates on the severity of his injury, especially with three more national team matches scheduled in the next ten days before the club season resumes.
The match marked Zidane’s debut as head coach of France following his appointment in July on a contract lasting until 2030. The 1998 World Cup winner returns to coaching for the first time since concluding his second stint with Real Madrid in 2021.
France, which was eliminated in the semifinals of the World Cup by eventual champions Spain, competes in Group A1 of this edition of the Nations League. The team will next face Belgium in Brussels on Monday after Belgium’s 2-0 victory over Italy on the same day.
Zidane’s initial lineup was similar to that of the World Cup squad, featuring Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert at left back and Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki in the starting eleven.
Olise, who was instrumental during the World Cup, nearly scored late in the first half with a powerful strike that was saved by Cakir. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan also made a crucial save at the start of the second half, deflecting a shot from Turkiye’s Abdulkerim Bardakci.
Following Mbappe’s goal, France came close to doubling their lead when Jules Kounde struck the post. Turkiye’s situation worsened late in the match when Cakir was shown a red card for a handball outside the penalty area after a VAR review, leaving the team with ten men.
Turkiye, under the guidance of former Italian international Vincenzo Montella, will next host Italy on Monday.
