Zinedine Zidane praised for 1000 IQ move in France win over Turkey as verdict reached
Zinedine Zidane has been praised for his tactical prowess during France’s 1-0 Nations League victory versus Turkey, by shifting the positions of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Zidane, whose France side took and maintained a 1-0 lead through Mbappe in the 54th-minute, opted to play Dembele centrally, while shifting the Real Madrid bagsman to the left.
The 54-year-old’s team benefited from a relentless press, led by a PSG-hardened Dembele. Michael Olise was back among the assists, operating, as he does for Bayern Munich, on the French right flank.
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Zinedine Zidane praised for France’s tactical change-up versus Turkey
France saw the majority of possession, enjoying 64% to their opposition’s 36%; Zidane’s men also recorded 652 passes to Turkey’s 364.
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However, the 54-year-old’s side was unable to outgun Turkey significantly in attack, recording less xG (1.17 to their opposition’s 1.21) and equal shots taken: 12 each.
In shifting Mbappe and Olise from central roles, where they appeared often under Didier Deschamps, and giving Dembele freedom in the middle, Zidane’s pressing vision for France became clear.
Some pointed out that Mbappe’s game-breaking goal, as was often the case under Deschamps, propelled France to victory, while others heaped praise on Dembele for his relentless effort.
Jules Kounde, one of France’s standouts in the Nations League event, aligned with the latter view. “Our pressing game allowed us to find the breakthrough,” confessed the Barcelona right-back.
“We got the job done, [but] it wasn’t easy,” he continued. “We played with a lot of intensity, and the main thing was to win. The coach told us to keep trying things, and playing our game.
“We knew that by keeping possession, [Turkey] would tire out, and spaces would open up,” concluded Kounde, who also recorded 11 defensive contributions for France.
Under a more conservative Deschamps, France fell to Spain at the 2026 World Cup. His set-up saw Mbappe feature as striker, with Dembele on the right, and Olise providing his creativity in the 10.
The Real Madrid bagsman struck 10 goals in North America, while his Bayern Munich feeder claimed seven assists. Dembele struck six goals from the right with a Group I hat-trick versus Norway.
Despite the changes made, Mbappe and Olise combined again versus Turkey, evidently unhampered by Zidane’s tactical evolution, in a far more rigid, pressing-focused France set-up.
“Personally, I like [Mbappe] better on the left,” Zidane confirmed pre-match, whose vision for France has provoked mixed responses. “He will be my captain. He can play in all three attacking positions.”
French media react to Zinedine Zidane’s tactical changes for France vs Turkey
Journalists Daniel Riolo and Jean-Louis Tourre clashed in their readings of France’s victory, with praise being split between Mbappe’s goal and Zidane’s pressing.
“Without Mbappe, it’s 0-0 and France doesn’t win the match,” claimed the former. “There’s no one who scores a goal on this team.”
“If he scores, it’s also because the others made the play, the pressing…” retorted Tourre, who placed greater value on Zidane’s contribution in the Nations League victory.
Dave Appadoo was as measured in his praise, questioning members of the France faithful that expected flawless pressing during Zidane’s first managerial outing.
“But what [did] you believe [was going to happen]? That it was going to be, in one go, the Ajax pressing from the 70s?” quizzed the L’Equipe reporter.
Samir Nasri also straddled the fence, claiming that the 54-year-old can create a rigid identity that France currently still lacks.
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Topics: Zinedine Zidane, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele
Kedar Bayley