- Kylian Mbappé will work with Zinedine Zidane for the first time during this international break after Zidane returned to management five years after leaving Real Madrid
- France will face Turkiye in the Nations League on Friday in Zidane’s first match as France manager, before fixtures against Belgium and Italy
- Mbappé has told L’Équipe there is no tension with Ousmane Dembélé after recent comments around the upcoming Ballon d’Or ceremony led to speculation
Zidane Era Begins With Mbappé Still Wearing The Armband
Kylian Mbappé has described the prospect of being coached by Zinedine Zidane with the French national team as “like something out of a movie”, as France enter a new phase under one of the most iconic figures in the country’s football history.
The pair are set to work together for the first time during this international break. Zidane has returned to management five years after leaving Real Madrid, taking over from his former France team-mate Didier Deschamps after the World Cup and bringing an end to Deschamps’ 14-year spell in charge.
Mbappé remains central to France’s current generation. He led Les Bleus to their second World Cup in 2018 and helped them reach the final again in 2022. Zidane also confirmed last week that Mbappé would continue as France captain.
🚨 Kylian Mbappé 🇫🇷 : « ZIDANE A ÉTÉ LE PREMIER À VENIR ME CHERCHER ET À M’EMMENER AU CENTRE D’ENTRAÎNEMENT DU REAL MADRID. 🤩
J’avais 13 ou 14 ans, c'était il y a une éternité.
Et maintenant, il est mon sélectionneur national. C’EST COMME DANS UN FILM, MAIS C’EST INCROYABLE.… pic.twitter.com/0WmYx7PIEB
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) September 21, 2026
Last week, Mbappé referred to Zidane as “the player who most embodies the France team,” noting the lasting impact Zidane has had on French football.
Real Madrid Memory Comes Full Circle
Speaking to Spanish paper AS, Mbappé recalled that Zidane had been part of his football journey since his teenage years, long before the two linked up with the national team.
“Yes, years ago (he took me to Real Madrid’s training ground),” said Mbappe.
“He was the first to pick me up and take me to Real Madrid, to the training complex. I was 13 or 14; it was ages ago.
“And now he’s my national team coach. It’s like something out of a movie, but he’s top-level.”
For Mbappé, Zidane’s arrival marks a significant change for a squad that had only known Deschamps as France manager.
“It’s a new phase with a new coach,” said Mbappe. “It’s going to be a new experience for everyone, since we’ve only ever had Deschamps. It will be a change for us, but I think everything will turn out very well.”
Nations League Programme And Competition Structure
France face Turkiye in the Nations League on Friday in Zidane’s debut as France manager, before fixtures against Belgium and Italy.
The UEFA Nations League 2026/27 is contested by the national teams of 54 of UEFA’s member associations. The teams are divided into four leagues based on the rankings of the previous edition. Leagues A, B, and C each feature sixteen teams, split into four groups of four, while League D features six teams divided into two groups of three. The competition begins in September 2026, with the finals scheduled for June 2027.
| Subject | Detail |
|---|---|
| Zinedine Zidane | Returned to management five years after leaving Real Madrid and replaced Didier Deschamps after the World Cup. |
| Didier Deschamps | His spell in charge of France ended after 14-year spell. |
| Kylian Mbappé | Will continue as France captain and remains a key figure after the 2018 World Cup triumph and the 2022 final run. |
| France fixtures | France face Turkiye on Friday, followed by fixtures against Belgium and Italy. |
| UEFA Nations League 2026/27 | Features the national teams of 54 UEFA member associations and runs from September 2026 to finals in June 2027. |
Mbappé Addresses Dembélé Speculation
Alongside the focus on Zidane’s arrival, Mbappé has also moved to dismiss talk of tension with Ousmane Dembélé. Their respective comments had been widely discussed in recent weeks after Mbappé, 27, spoke to France Football about the upcoming Ballon d’Or ceremony.
In that interview, Mbappé explained that he had always been perceived as “the chosen one”, while his team-mate and friend Dembélé, 29, had “always been seen as a talented player”.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner responded by explaining that he had “always been at the back of the class working hard”, without saying a single word. That sequence quickly led observers to speculate about a possible cooling in the relationship between the two World Cup winners.
However, speaking to L’Équipe on the sidelines of the France squad’s get-together, where he will be reunited with Dembélé, the French national team’s number 10 rejected that interpretation.
“I’ve already spoken to him about it; there’s no tension. I don’t think there’s really any problem there – I’m completely at ease,” explained the French national team’s number 10, on the sidelines of the France squad’s get-together, during which he will be reunited with Dembélé.
“But during Nations League and France squad periods, people always seem to find something to talk about, and I think this one’s been well chosen,” he added, with a smile.
