Zidane's France Triumphs Despite Mbappe Injury; Mancini's Italy Falls to Belgium

In a dramatic start to his tenure, Zinedine Zidane led the French national team to a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League, although the win was marred by an unfortunate injury to captain Kylian Mbappe. The match took place at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, Turkey, where France's all-time leading scorer netted a goal just nine minutes into the second half before sustaining a knee injury during the shot.

Following the match, Zidane expressed his concern over Mbappe's condition, stating, "It’s not great. Unfortunately, I think he’s going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks." The coach indicated that the Real Madrid forward, who has been instrumental for the national team, might miss the remaining Nations League fixtures scheduled over the next ten days.

Despite being reduced to ten men late in the match after goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off for a foul outside the box, Turkey fought hard but could not find an equalizer. Zidane's debut reflects a promising start for the French side, even as they face uncertainty regarding their key player’s fitness moving forward.

In contrast, Roberto Mancini's return to the Italian national team ended in disappointment as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Belgium. The loss highlights the ongoing challenges for Italy, who are striving to regain their competitive edge on the international stage.

“We have to work hard to get back to where we belong,” Mancini remarked after the game, indicating his commitment to reviving the fortunes of the Azzurri.