Zinedine Zidane Begins France Era With Surprise Kylian Mbappe Experiment

New France manager Zinedine Zidane has said he prefers Kylian Mbappé as a left winger, rather than as a center forward, with the Real Madrid superstar set for a positional change.

Zidane made his declaration as he announced his first France roster since taking over as the national team manager this summer. Les Bleus are scheduled to play Türkiye, Italy and Belgium twice during the September-October international break.

Asked about Mbappé at the press conference, Zidane told reporters: “Mbappé will be my captain. He can play in all three attacking positions. Personally, I like him better on the left.”

RMC Sport reports that Zidane has also spoken to Mbappé privately to relay his intentions for the upcoming fixtures.

While Mbappé will continue as France’s first-choice captain, the new manager has selected a four-man leadership group which also includes Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé.

What Is Mbappé’s Best Position?

Kylian Mbappé — Striker or winger? | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Left wing is not an unfamiliar role for Mbappé, who has featured out on that flank in 32 of his 106 national team appearances since his debut in 2017—recording 21 goals and 16 assists from the position. He also has experience on the opposite side and famously featured on the right-hand side of a 4-2-3-1 formation during France’s World Cup win in 2018.

However, he has not featured on the wing for France for some time and regularly features as an out-and-out center forward for both club and country these days.

Playing as a striker, Mbappé scored 58 goals in 60 games for club and country last season and was the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and at the 2026 World Cup.

Still, Mbappé’s most effective role has been a point of contention with many since his move to Real Madrid in 2024. His goalscoring rate has never been in doubt, but his tendency to drift wide and occupy the same spaces as his teammate Vinícius Júnior has been seen as an issue.

After the Madrid derby defeat prior to the international break, L’Équipe shared an image of Real Madrid players’ average positions during the game, with Mbappé and Vinícius Jr essentially on top of one another.

Amid Vinícius Jr’s disappointing run of form, there have been some calls for Mbappé to be moved out to the left, in order to accommodate super-sub Carlos Espí in the lineup.

Mbappé Returns to Training After Illness

Mbappé missed training with the French national team on Tuesday due to “flu-like symptoms.”

The captain took part in indoor work on Monday after meeting up with the squad, but was absent from the first group sessions of the Zidane era the following day and was excused from activity as a precaution, remaining in his room.

On Wednesday, Mbappé returned to training and is in line to feature against Türkiye on Friday, with his condition not deemed serious.

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