Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game before having to come off, grimacing with a knee injury as France won 1-0 in Turkey in the UEFA Nations League in new coach Zinedine Zidane’s first game in charge on Friday (September 25, 2026).
France and Real will now nervously wait to discover the extent of the injury, with Les Bleus playing three more games over the next 10 days before the club season resumes. The sight of his star player and skipper coming off overshadowed Zidane’s first match since being appointed coach in late July on a deal to 2030. France’s Kylian Mbappe lies on the ground after he scored and injured himself during the UEFA Nations League match between Turkey and France in Izmit, Turkey, on September 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP Zidane, whose last match as a player came for France against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final, will then make his home debut as coach against the Italians at the Stade de France next Friday.
Zidane confirmed that Mbappe is now likely to return to his club for treatment. “It’s not great. Unfortunately, I think he’s going to have to go home. “He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging. His first team selection was not dramatically different to the side that regularly played at the World Cup, although Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert was in at left-back while Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki came into the starting XI.
We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told broadcaster TF1.