Without Mbappé, Zidane must choose his new captain before Turkey

In the Clairefontaine training room, silence hung on Tuesday as Kylian Mbappé, the captain of the French national team, was absent, ill. Coach Zinedine Zidane and his staff led the session without their top scorer, leaving doubt over the squad selection for the first Nations League match, scheduled for 8:45 p.m. on Friday in Istanbul.

Uncertainty over the armband

The coach reminded during his preseason press conference that he would have several vice‑captains, without revealing their names, promising that “you will know them soon”. According to L’Équipe, the three players named as vice‑captains are Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé, each representing a line of the squad.

The staff values these senior players for their longevity, personality and role in the squad. In the event of Mbappé’s permanent absence, the hierarchy will have to decide who will take over the armband. Given his seniority in the French national team, Ousmane Dembélé appears to be the favourite to wear the armband.

Flu stops Mbappé from training, Nations League crucial

Mbappé returns to training

Two days before kickoff, on Wednesday the 23rd, the captain resumed training after recovering from a flu. He took part in a tactical session of about 45 minutes, although Tuesday’s public session at Clairefontaine saw him absent.

France, now under the direction of Zinedine Zidane, will face Turkey in Istanbul on Thursday, the first Nations League fixture. After this match, the schedule includes three further games: Belgium in Brussels on September 28, then Italy at home and Belgium again on October 2 and 5 at the Stade de France.

Zidane hands the armband to Dembélé, Rabiot and Koundé

The choice of captain, whether Dembélé, Rabiot or Koundé, could shape the squad’s dynamics from the first match, as the Blues aim to impose their style under Zidane’s guidance.