Mbappé Reportedly Frustrated With Zidane’s Positioning Decision

Kylian Mbappé was reportedly left a little frustrated with his positioning on the left wing during Zinedine Zidane’s first match as France head coach.

According to L’Équipe, Mbappé was deployed on the left side of Zidane’s attacking setup, a position he has occupied extensively throughout his career but one that has become less familiar to him in recent seasons as he has increasingly operated through the centre.

The decision reportedly did not completely satisfy the Real Madrid forward, who was said to have preferred a more central role. Mbappé initially remained close to the touchline before gradually moving inside and becoming more involved in France’s attacking play.

Despite the tactical adjustment, the 27-year-old still made the decisive contribution. Mbappé scored the only goal of the game as France defeated Türkiye 1–0, giving Zidane a winning start to his tenure.

Zidane has previously spoken positively about Mbappé playing from the left, where his pace, movement and ability to cut inside can make him particularly dangerous. However, with Mbappé now regularly playing as a centre-forward for Real Madrid, his preferred role could become an interesting tactical discussion during Zidane’s time with France.

For now, Mbappé has demonstrated that he can still make the difference from the left — even if the role may not be his preferred position.