Türkiye begin life in the top tier of the Nations League with about as gentle an introduction as a brick wall.
France visit Kocaeli on Friday night for the opening game in League A Group 1, which also contains Italy and Belgium. It is the first time Türkiye have competed in the Nations League’s top division.
Vincenzo Montella remains in charge after taking Türkiye to the 2026 World Cup. Their tournament ended in the group stage, although a 3-2 victory over the United States at least gave them something to take home.
France have made a much bigger change.
Zinedine Zidane replaced Didier Deschamps following the World Cup and Friday will be his first match as France manager. His opening squad still contains Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, but there are several new faces too.
A noisy night in Kocaeli against an ambitious Türkiye side should give Zidane a proper first test.
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What are the best betting tips for Turkiye vs France?
France to win & over 2.5 goals
For anyone looking for a higher price than the straight France win, adding three or more goals makes sense.
Türkiye aren’t particularly well suited to sitting deep for 90 minutes.
Montella has built a technically gifted side capable of attacking through Arda Güler, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Barış Alper Yılmaz. At home, it would be surprising to see them simply surrender possession and hope to survive.
That could play into France’s hands.
Mbappé is devastating when matches become stretched, while Dembélé and Olise give Zidane another two players capable of punishing Türkiye if spaces begin appearing.
The wider market also expects goals: over 2.5 is currently odds-on.
Türkiye have enough attacking quality to contribute, but they could find themselves exposed if they chase the game.
A 2-1 or 3-1 France victory would both get this one home.
France to score in both halves
France’s attacking depth also makes them interesting in the half markets.
Türkiye should begin aggressively. It is their first Nations League match in League A, they are at home, and the atmosphere in Kocaeli should be lively.
The difficult part will be maintaining that intensity.
France have enough quality to hurt Türkiye early, but their options from the bench could be just as important. Even if Zidane starts with Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise, he can introduce players such as Doué and Barcola as the game develops.
That gives France different ways to attack throughout the 90 minutes.
If Türkiye fall behind and have to become more adventurous, those spaces could become even larger after the break.
Rather than relying on one player to produce multiple goals, this backs France’s attacking quality across the entire match.
Kylian Mbappé to score
A new manager is unlikely to mean a smaller role for Kylian Mbappé.
Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that the Real Madrid forward will remain France captain. He has also spoken about Mbappé’s ability to attack from the left, allowing him to pick up the ball facing goal rather than spending the entire game wrestling with centre-backs.
Mbappé comes into the Nations League campaign with 66 international goals. He also scored 10 times at this summer’s World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer.
There should be no shortage of service around him either. Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola give France several different ways to create chances.
Türkiye are unlikely to simply sit behind the ball for 90 minutes in Kocaeli. If they push forward and leave space behind, Mbappé is probably the last player they will want running into it.
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What have the managers said?
Vincenzo Montella:
Montella’s main pre-match press conference is still to come, so his most recent comments give us a better idea of his thinking heading into this international window.
Following Türkiye’s 3-2 World Cup victory over the United States, he praised the response of his players after they conceded in the opening minute.
“It was a demonstration of the team spirit.”
Montella also highlighted the competition within his squad.
“They are all at the level to play in the starting XI.”
That depth will be tested immediately. Türkiye have stepped up into League A and have been handed a group containing France, Italy and Belgium.
Zinedine Zidane:
Zidane isn’t exactly easing himself into international management.
His first competitive game is away to Türkiye, with Belgium and Italy also waiting in France’s Nations League group.
The former Real Madrid manager has made his immediate objective clear.
“I just want to win.”
Zidane said there will naturally be discussion about Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. For now, however, his attention is firmly on his first game.
When discussing the Türkiye fixture, Zidane said winning in Kocaeli was the only thing on his mind.
There will not be a complete overhaul either. Zidane believes the squad inherited from Deschamps does not require radical changes, although he intends to put his own stamp on the team.
Mbappé will also remain captain as France begin their new era.
What is Türkiye’s predicted team?
(4-2-3-1) Uğurcan Çakır; Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; İsmail Yüksek, Orkun Kökçü; Yunus Akgün, Arda Güler, Kerem Aktürkoğlu; Barış Alper Yılmaz.
Doubts: Orkun Kökçü, Deniz Gül, Muhammed Şengezer, Yunus Akgün.
Montella has retained most of Türkiye’s established core but also handed first senior call-ups to Adil Demirbağ, Bartuğ Elmaz, Melih Kabasakal and İlhan Fakılı.
There are a few fitness issues to monitor before Friday. Orkun has been dealing with pain in his toe, while Deniz Gül, Muhammed Şengezer and Yunus Akgün have also required treatment.
What is France’s predicted team?
(4-3-3) Maignan; Koundé, Konaté, Upamecano, Truffert; Camavinga, Koné, Zaïre-Emery; Olise, Mbappé, Dembélé.
Unavailable: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Marcus Thuram.
Mbappé remains captain for Zidane’s first game, while Eduardo Camavinga has returned to the France squad after missing the World Cup.
There are also several potential debutants. Jérémy Jacquet, Guillaume Restes, Lucas Da Cunha and Esteban Lepaul are among the new faces selected by Zidane.
Tchouaméni and Thuram miss out because of fitness concerns.
Türkiye vs France prediction
This is a fascinating place for the Zidane era to begin.
France clearly have the superior depth, and their attacking options are slightly ridiculous. Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise could cause Türkiye serious problems if they settle quickly.
Kocaeli should make it uncomfortable, though.
Türkiye have enough technical quality through Güler and Kökçü to play rather than simply defend. Montella’s side should also see their first League A match as an opportunity rather than something to survive.
That ambition could eventually work against them.
If Türkiye commit players forward, France have the pace to punish them on the break. Zidane can also turn to a seriously strong bench if the game remains tight heading into the second half.
Türkiye can make their presence felt, but France should eventually have too much quality.
Score prediction: Türkiye 1-3 France
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