Kylian Mbappé was among the first players to welcome Zinédine Zidane’s appointment as France head coach. Their first camp together lasted only a few days, though, and left questions about how the new coach would work with the France captain after years under Didier Deschamps.
According to L’Équipe, Zidane and Mbappé spoke little during the September camp, even before the forward withdrew through injury. Both live in Madrid and have met on several occasions, including Mbappé’s unveiling at the Santiago Bernabéu in the summer of 2024.
Mbappé’s position was already a point of tension. In his first match in charge, against Turkey, Zidane played him on the left wing and started Ousmane Dembélé up front. The decision did not go down well with the France captain, according to the newspaper, as he now prefers to play through the middle.
“He can play in all three positions, and I really like him on the left,” Zidane said when he named his first squad. Mbappé scored the winner against Turkey from that starting position before a knee injury forced him off and ruled him out of the next three matches.
The report also pointed to differences over the choice of vice-captains, with Zidane basing his decision on seniority in the national team. L’Équipe also reported that Mbappé’s relationship with Dembélé had cooled after they competed for the Ballon d’Or, affecting the captain’s standing in the dressing room.
Zidane wants to use the November camp to speak more openly with Mbappé. Before the squad gathered, he said the forward would return to the middle with Dembélé sidelined through injury. “He’ll be able to play in his preferred position, as a centre-forward,” Zidane said.
A fresh hamstring injury has delayed the switch against Italy, but Mbappé has stayed with the squad to continue treatment and try to be fit for Turkey. That match could give Zidane his first chance to put the plan into practice since recalling his captain.
