PARIS — Zinedine Zidane’s debut as France coach was overshadowed by an injury to captain Kylian Mbappe in a 1-0 win away to Turkey on Friday, while Roberto Mancini’s first game back in charge of Italy ended in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.
Zidane, the France legend and member of the team that won the World Cup in 1998, was taking charge of Les Bleus for the first time since being appointed in late July as the successor to Didier Deschamps.
Mbappe gave his side the lead nine minutes into the second half in the UEFA Nations League Group A1 clash at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, just over 100 kilometers outside Istanbul.
But the Real Madrid superstar injured himself in the process of shooting, and looked to be in clear pain when he came off a few minutes later after initially attempting to carry on.
“It’s not great. Unfortunately I think he’s going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told broadcaster TF1, suggesting that France’s all-time record goal-scorer will play no part in the three Nations League matches still to come over the next 10 days.
“He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging.”
France held on for the win without their captain, while Turkey finished the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off late on for handling the ball outside his box as he raced out to deny Bradley Barcola.
So it looks set to be without Mbappe that France will head to Brussels for their next game against Belgium on Monday.
Belgium, playing their first match since losing to eventual winners Spain in the World Cup quarterfinals, spoiled Mancini’s return to the Italian national team by beating their hosts at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
