The Real Madrid forward scored the decisive goal before being forced off after receiving medical attention, leaving France and his club waiting anxiously to discover the extent of the injury.
• Türkiye: No goals
• France: Kylian Mbappé 54'
Mbappé scores before injury scare
Zidane made an immediate tactical change by deploying Mbappé on the left wing, moving the France captain away from the central striking role he had occupied under former manager Didier Deschamps.
The decision paid off when Mbappé broke the deadlock after the interval. The forward collected a pass from Michael Olise and fired a low shot into the near post to score his 67th international goal.
However, the celebrations were quickly overshadowed by concern over the goalscorer's fitness.
Mbappé winced in pain as his teammates gathered around him. Although he initially attempted to continue after receiving treatment, he eventually went to ground again and pointed to the outside of his left knee.
The 27-year-old subsequently walked off and was replaced by Désiré Doué. The full extent of the injury was not immediately known.
France withstand Türkiye’s challenge
France had opportunities to take the lead before Mbappé’s goal, with Olise coming particularly close late in the first half. His impressive strike was tipped over by Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.
Türkiye also threatened after the break. Mike Maignan was required to make a save, tipping over an effort from defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı.
France later came close to extending their advantage when Jules Koundé struck the post, but the visitors had to remain alert as Türkiye continued searching for an equaliser.
The hosts’ task became more difficult late in the match when Çakır was sent off.
The goalkeeper rushed out of his penalty area to stop Bradley Barcola, who was racing through on goal. German referee Felix Zwayer initially allowed play to continue, but a VAR review led to a red card for handling the ball outside the area.
Türkiye were left with 10 men, and France held on to secure the victory.
Zidane wins his first match in charge
The result gave Zidane a winning start as France manager, following his appointment in July. The 1998 World Cup winner returned to elite coaching for the first time since his second spell at Real Madrid ended in 2021.
France’s starting line-up retained much of the core that featured at the World Cup, while Adrien Truffert started at left-back and Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki was included in the starting XI.
But the injury to Mbappé will now be the major concern for Zidane and the French national team, with three more matches scheduled over the next 10 days.
France travel to Brussels to face Belgium on Monday before hosting Italy at the Stade de France next Friday. Belgium began their campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Italy.
For Zidane, the opening night delivered three points and a winning start to his tenure. Yet France’s attention will quickly turn to Mbappé’s condition, with the captain’s availability potentially crucial to the team’s upcoming Nations League fixtures.