Zinedine Zidane has expressed that taking charge of his first match as France manager is an “immense” emotional milestone, even surpassing the prestige of his playing debut three decades ago. The French legend, affectionately known as “Zizou,” is set to lead Les Bleus against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on Friday, September 25, at Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit.
Kickoff is scheduled for 9:45 pm local time (18:45 GMT). Coverage and build-up from Al Jazeera Sport will begin at 15:45 GMT.
Zidane’s appointment follows the departure of Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps held the helm for 14 years, securing the 2018 World Cup title and reaching the final in 2022. Now, Zidane aims to etch his own legacy on the team he once fronted as a player, where he scored two headers in the 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil and won the Ballon d’Or that same year.
“Even more so, maybe,” Zidane said on Thursday when asked if the occasion would feel as special as his international playing debut in 1994, a match in which he scored twice against the Czech Republic. “I feel an immense emotion being at the head of this France team.”
While acknowledging the high expectations linked to his historic playing career and his coaching success at Real Madrid, Zidane insisted his primary focus remains pragmatic. “It’s something new… people are talking about it. That makes sense,” he stated. “Winning matches is what interests me the most.”
Striker Kylian Mbappé, France’s all-time leading scorer, has been cleared to start and will wear the captain’s armband after recovering from a minor injury. Although Mbappé did not attend the pre-match news conference, midfielder Adrien Rabiot addressed the media. Rabiot, one of the vice-captains alongside Ousmane Dembélé and Jules Koundé, suggested the spotlight on Zidane offers the squad a degree of shielding.
“His aura means he commands a lot of attention. In a way, it’s a good thing that the focus is more on the coach than the players. It gives them a bit more peace and quiet,” Rabiot noted.
France’s squad includes six players making their senior debuts: Esteban Lepaul, Leny Yoro, Jeremy Jacquet, Lucas Da Cunha, Andy Diouf, and Guillaume Restes. Zidane praised the mix of experience and fresh talent, stating, “The French team is open to everyone.”
On the Turkish side, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız are ruled out due to injury, but Arda Güler is available despite previous fitness concerns. The visitors will be looking to improve on their poor historical record against France; in six previous meetings, France has won four times while Turkey has claimed a single victory.
The last encounter ended in a 1-1 draw in Paris during Euro 2020 qualifying in 2019, with Olivier Giroud scoring before Kaan Ayhan equalized late in the game. Following this fixture, France travels to face Belgium before hosting Italy and returning to host Belgium again at the Stade de France in early October.
Six debutants? That’s a massive risk for a first game. I hope Zidane isn’t overcomplicating his start.
As a Turkish fan, I’m worried. Our record against France is historically poor, and missing Calhanoğlu hurts us.
Mbappé captaining his national team is a huge moment. France looks incredibly strong with that squad depth.
Finally, Zizou is back in the dugout! I hope he brings that magic to the tactical setup for the Nations League.