Lopear revels in debut as Zidane’s France claim narrow win
France edged Turkey 1‑0 in the opening Nations League fixture on the 25th, a win that also marked Zinedine Zidane’s first match in charge, while newcomer Esteban Lopear celebrated a brief but historic debut for Les Bleus in Paris on the night.
The only goal arrived in the 54th minute after a ball recovery in the opponent’s half, a Michael Olise pass from Bayern Germany finding Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, whose low right‑foot shot secured the lead and gave Zidane a winning start.
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Lopear entered as a late substitute for Usman Dembele of Paris Saint‑Germain in added time, playing only a few minutes. He said, “It wasn’t an easy match, but I am satisfied to finish my debut with a wonderful victory.” He added that Zidane “is a coach who pays great attention to detail, gives players freedom and expects responsibility,” a philosophy he finds sensible for a team of this quality.