Zinedine Zidane gets praised for a smart move in France’s win over Turkey as the final decision is made
Zinedine Zidane received lots of praise for his smart tactics in France’s 1-0 Nations League win against Turkey, especially for moving Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele around on the field.
Zidane’s team took the lead in the 54th minute thanks to Mbappe and kept it tight. He chose to play Dembele in the middle and shifted Mbappe to the left side.
The 54-year-old coach’s plan worked well, with Dembele leading a strong, nonstop press, while Michael Olise, playing on the right like he does for Bayern Munich, helped create chances.
France dominated the ball with 64% possession compared to Turkey’s 36% and made nearly twice as many passes (652 to 364).
Even so, France didn’t massively outattack Turkey—they both had 12 shots, and France’s expected goals (xG) were slightly lower (1.17 vs. 1.21).
By moving Mbappe and Olise away from the center and giving Dembele freedom there, Zidane showed his clear game plan focused on pressing hard.
Some fans felt Mbappe’s goal was the key, as it often was under the previous coach Didier Deschamps, while others gave credit to Dembele’s tireless work.
Jules Kounde, who stood out in the match, agreed with the second view. The Barcelona defender said, “Our pressing helped us get the breakthrough. We played with a lot of energy, and the main goal was to win.”
He also shared that the coach encouraged them to keep trying new things and stick to their style. “We knew keeping the ball would wear Turkey down and open up space,” said Kounde, who also made 11 important defensive plays.
Under Deschamps, France lost to Spain in the 2026 World Cup using a more cautious setup—Mbappe played striker, Dembele was on the right, and Olise ran things from the middle.
Mbappe scored 10 goals, Olise had seven assists, and Dembele netted six goals, including a hat trick against Norway, showing their talents.
Despite Zidane’s changes, Mbappe and Olise still linked up well against Turkey, proving they adapted to new positions in a more intense, pressing-focused team.
Before the game, Zidane said, “I like Mbappe better on the left. He will be my captain and can play across all attacking spots.” His fresh approach has had mixed reactions so far.
After the match, journalists Daniel Riolo and Jean-Louis Tourre debated who deserved more credit—the goal scorer Mbappe or Coach Zidane for the team’s pressing.
Riolo said, “Without Mbappe’s goal, it’s a draw; no one else scores.” But Tourre argued, “Mbappe only scored because his teammates worked hard pressing the opponent,” praising Zidane’s game plan more.
Reporter Dave Appadoo took a balanced view, reminding fans not to expect perfect pressing right away from Zidane’s first game. He joked, “Did you think it would be like Ajax’s famous pressing from the 70s immediately?”
Samir Nasri also shared a mixed opinion, saying Zidane could build a strong team style, which France still doesn’t fully have.