The two men have known each other for more than a decade. Now one manages the other on the France bench, and the pupil is not quite over it.

“Years ago, 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,” Mbappe told beIN Sports, recalling the day Zidane first drove him to the club’s training ground.

“And now he’s my national team coach. It’s like something from a movie, but he’s top-level.”

The end of the Deschamps era

Zidane was appointed France head coach on 28 July on a four-year contract that runs to the end of the 2030 World Cup. He succeeded Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after France finished fourth at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

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“It’s a new phase with a new coach. 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.”

Zidane named his first squad on 18 September, keeping Mbappe as captain, bringing in five new faces, and leaving out Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram. Speaking to reporters, Zidane confirmed Mbappe as skipper and outlined how he sees the Real Madrid forward being used.

“He is capable of playing in the three positions and I also really like him on the left,” Zidane said.

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Four goals from a mark no France player has reached

Mbappe goes into the Nations League window on 66 international goals. Four more and he becomes the first player in France’s history to reach 70 for the national team.

Olivier Giroud is next on the all-time list with 57, already nine behind Mbappe. Thierry Henry, on 51, is the only other Frenchman above 50.

Zidane himself scored 31 goals in a France shirt. If his captain scores four times in the next fortnight, Zidane will be coaching a player who has scored more than twice his own international tally.

France open in Izmit

France’s first fixture under Zidane is away to Turkey in Izmit on Friday, 25 September. It is matchday one of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League A group phase, with France drawn alongside Turkey, Belgium and Italy. Belgium away follows on 28 September, before Italy at home on 2 October and Belgium at home on 5 October.

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