Zinedine Zidane said taking charge of his first France game on Friday will feel even more special than his playing debut. "I feel an immense emotion being at the head of this France team," he said Thursday ahead of a Nations League game at Türkiye.

Zidane replaced Didier Deschamps after the World Cup. He now leads a team he starred for, scoring two headers in the 1998 World Cup final and winning the Ballon d'Or. As a coach, he led Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles.

France play Türkiye, then Belgium and Italy. Kylian Mbappé will captain the side against Türkiye despite a minor injury. Zidane has six new faces in his squad, including Leny Yoro (Manchester United) and Jérémy Jacquet (Liverpool).

Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, one of Zidane's vice-captains, said the attention on Zidane gives players peace. Zidane said, "Winning matches is what interests me the most."