Zidane's Early Markers: Mbappe Remains Captain, Role Uncertain
Zinedine Zidane has barely taken the France job and he’s already made two things clear: Kylian Mbappe is his captain, and nothing about the forward’s role on the pitch is set in stone.
On Friday, the new France boss named his first 23-man squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, a list that included five uncapped players and one very familiar leader. As reported by RMC Sport, Zidane confirmed Mbappe will keep the armband under his reign, ending any early speculation about a change in hierarchy.
The real intrigue lies in where that armband will line up.
Mbappe’s position: left, middle, or everywhere?
Zidane openly teased a positional rethink. Mbappe has often been used through the middle in recent years, but the new coach hinted that the central striker role might not be his default.
“He is capable of playing in all three positions. He has said it himself,” Zidane told reporters in his first major press conference since taking charge. Then came the reveal of his own preference: “Me, for example, I like him a lot on the left.”
In one line, Zidane pulled the conversation away from the number on Mbappe’s back and toward the space he’ll attack from. A refreshed squad, five new faces, and a coach who clearly wants his star man cutting in from that left channel – the outline of this new France is already visible.
Defensive work: Zidane shuts down the “false debate”
No Mbappe conversation is complete without the familiar criticism: does he work hard enough without the ball?
The question followed him from Paris to Madrid and has now landed at Clairefontaine. A journalist raised concerns about Real Madrid’s forwards and their defensive work rate, pointing at Mbappe’s perceived lack of investment when his team is out of possession.
Zidane didn’t let it linger.
“It is a false subject, a false debate, it will have to be managed like all the other players,” he replied, cutting straight through the narrative. “When we do not have the ball, we will have to make an effort. It will not be a problem for Kylian.”
No special rules for the captain. No public scolding either. Just a simple standard: everyone runs, including the superstar. If there were doubts about whether Zidane would tiptoe around Mbappe’s status, his answer did enough to push them aside.
Steering clear of politics
The press conference didn’t stay strictly on football.
Zidane was asked about the 2027 French presidential elections and the recent controversy involving Mbappe’s refusal to fully wear a t-shirt in support of Ceuta residents. It was an invitation to step into a political storm. He declined.
“I am going to dedicate myself to this task, manager of the France national team,” Zidane said. “However, I have convictions like everyone else, I am a citizen. As for sharing them... Everyone does as they want, but I am going to try to dedicate myself to this task.”
No grand statements. No slogans. Just a clear line: Zidane wants his tenure judged on football, not on political positioning.
A new era begins in Kocaeli
The talking will soon give way to evidence on the pitch.
France open the Zidane era on September 25 in Kocaeli against Turkiye in League A of the Nations League, before heading to Brussels to face Belgium three days later. Two away games, two serious tests, and a first look at how this remodelled squad responds to new demands.
Will Mbappe attack from the left as Zidane hinted? How quickly will those five uncapped players settle into the international rhythm? And will the captain’s defensive effort match the manager’s uncompromising words?
Answers are coming. And under Zidane, they will come with the ball – and without it.
