Dembélé to captain France against Belgium after Mbappé knee injury
France will face Belgium in Brussels without Kylian Mbappé after the forward suffered a tendon injury to his left knee while scoring the decisive goal in the win over Turkey. His absence hands Ousmane Dembélé the captaincy for the first time as Zinedine Zidane prepares his side for a significant Nations League test at the King Baudouin Stadium.
Mbappé injury interrupts Zidane’s early momentum
Mbappé was hurt in Kocaeli during the match-winning moment against Turkey and was substituted in the 59th minute. The 107-cap forward has returned to Madrid for treatment rather than travelling with the France squad to Belgium.
The setback comes shortly after Mbappé drew level with Patrick Vieira in France’s all-time appearances list. He is now one cap behind Zidane, whose new tenure began with a victory but immediately faces a selection problem in the attacking line.
France had relied on Mbappé’s clinical contribution to secure three points in Turkey. Without him, Zidane must find a different balance in the final third against a Belgium side that began the window by beating Italy 2-0 to take top spot in Ligue A1.
Dembélé steps into senior role
Dembélé will wear the armband as the most experienced player in the available group. The 29-year-old has made 68 international appearances and briefly took over as captain after Mbappé left the field on Friday.
He retained the armband until his late substitution, when debutant Esteban Lepaul entered the contest. The Belgium match will nevertheless mark Dembélé’s first occasion leading France from the start in a full international.
After the Turkey win, Dembélé stressed that France had expected a demanding night in a hostile environment and on a difficult surface. He felt the team were defensively solid, had prepared thoroughly during the week and could have increased their margin with another one or two goals.
The winger also outlined Zidane’s initial demands: a 4-3-3 shape, stronger communication on the pitch and a commitment to positive football. Those principles will be examined more closely against Belgium, particularly with Mbappé unavailable.
How France’s captaincy changed in Turkey
- Mbappé scored the winning goal during France’s narrow victory in Kocaeli.
- The striker sustained a left-knee tendon injury and was forced off in the 59th minute.
- He passed the captain’s armband to Dembélé, who led the side for the remainder of his time on the pitch.
- Dembélé was later replaced by Esteban Lepaul, while Mbappé subsequently returned to Madrid to start rehabilitation.
Belgium fixture raises the competitive level
Belgium’s 2-0 result against Italy means France are likely to need a positive outcome in Brussels to avoid losing ground at the summit of Ligue A1. The match offers an early measure of Zidane’s adaptability, with his new captain expected to provide leadership as well as attacking threat.
France must now show that their attacking output can extend beyond Mbappé’s finishing. Dembélé’s responsibility will be to help maintain the side’s control and communication within Zidane’s 4-3-3 while guiding a squad missing its usual focal point.
Key takeaways
- Mbappé will miss the Belgium trip after injuring a tendon in his left knee against Turkey.
- The 107-cap France forward returned to Madrid for rehabilitation.
- Dembélé, on 68 caps, is set to captain France for the first time.
- Belgium lead Ligue A1 after defeating Italy 2-0.
- France travel to the King Baudouin Stadium needing to cope without Mbappé’s goals and leadership.
