Zinédine Zidane is about to lead his first match in charge of the French national team. On Friday at 5:45 pm GMT, in Kocaeli, Les Bleus face Turkey in the Nations League. For this first outing, the new head coach appears to have settled on several choices, particularly regarding Kylian Mbappé.
A 4-3-3 with Mbappé wide on the left
According to the setup observed this week, the French captain is expected to play on the left flank in a 4-3-3. Ousmane Dembélé would be positioned centrally, while Michael Olise would occupy the right flank. This is an option already mentioned by Zidane when he announced his first squad list.
'He is capable of playing in all three positions. Personally, for example, I like him a lot on the left,' the head coach explained.
Mbappé had already occupied that zone during certain sequences of the Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain, even though the official match sheet did not precisely fix his position within a detailed setup.
Mbappé present despite a scare
After missing Tuesday's training session due to flu-like symptoms, Mbappé has returned to normal condition. Zidane confirmed on Thursday that his captain was fit and would take his place against Turkey.
The head coach will especially need to ensure the balance of his attacking setup, a requirement he has repeated since taking charge.
A clearly established hierarchy
Zidane also confirmed the new captaincy structure. Mbappé remains the captain of Les Bleus, flanked by Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé as vice-captains.
The first fixture of the Zidane era is therefore already largely mapped out: a 4-3-3, Mbappé on the left and a clearly established hierarchy. On Friday evening, against Turkey, these first decisions will face their very first test.
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