Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Zinedine Zidane is confident Ousmane Dembele can step up and be France’s captain after Kylian Mbappe withdrew from the squad due to injury.
Dembele took the armband during France’s 1-0 win over Turkiye in their Nations League opener, with Mbappe forced off after scoring the only goal in the 54th minute.
It has since been confirmed that the Real Madrid star suffered a hyperextension in his left knee, though the severity of the issue has not been disclosed at this time.
Mbappe will prove to be a big miss, not only for his leadership, but also for his quality on the pitch. He netted his 12th goal for France in 2026 last time out, equalling the highest total for a French player in a calendar year in the 21st century, set by himself in 2022.
Dembele also played his part at Turka Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadyumu, finishing with team-high totals for chances created (four) and touches in the opposition box (seven).
“He is already doing it. He’s vice-captain; he has that role, even when he’s not captain,” Zidane told reporters about what Dembele brings to the team as a captain.
“He is, he’s a good guy, always there for others, and you have to take his experience. I expect something from everyone, not just the captains. It’s a group that lives well.
“We’ve been together for a week; I can see that they’re happy to be together. It’s the French team; there are some great matches. Football goes so fast.
“I’m 54 years old; I’m here. I can’t play any more, so I tell them to enjoy the moment, because it’s flying. The French team is so beautiful that I want them to live these moments.”
On se prépare pour notre deuxième rencontre face à la Belgique pic.twitter.com/VN1ifjlw5F
— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) September 27, 2026
Zidane became the first coach to win his first match in charge of France since Aime Jacquet against Italy in 1994 (four draws and one loss in between).
The former Madrid boss said it was an emotional feeling to lead his country for the very first time, though he said there was still plenty to improve on for his team.
He revealed ahead of their trip to the Stade Roi Baudouin on Monday that he would be making several changes to his team given the tight turnaround.
France are second in Group A1 but level on points with Belgium after they beat Italy in their opening match.
It was put to Zidane whether the result or the performance was more important against Mark van Bommel’s side, and he said: “Everything is important, but the most important thing is to get to know each other.
“We rested more, and we thought more about getting treatment than training because we don’t have time. The idea is to prepare for the matches and afterwards, of course, to win the match. We are competitors, and what we want to do is win the match, above all.
“We have to improve; we will improve. But the idea is to get the ball back as quickly as possible and, above all, to have the ball, to run with the ball and not without the ball.”
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