Mbappé scored in Zidane's first game, then hurt his knee. Zidane says he is leaving the France squad

Kylian Mbappé scored the first goal of Zinedine Zidane's time as France coach on Friday, then hurt his knee scoring it. He will leave the France squad, Zidane said after the 1-0 win in Türkiye, and return to Real Madrid.

He struck in the 54th minute, taking a pass from Michael Olise and finishing low at the near post for his 67th goal for France. He was grimacing as his teammates arrived to celebrate. He tried to play on after treatment, went down again holding the outside of his left knee, and walked off a few minutes later, replaced by Désiré Doué.

Zidane was asked about him on TF1 straight after the match.

It is not going well, unfortunately. I think he will have to go home.

Zinedine Zidane to TF1

Asked whether that meant the end of Mbappé's international window, Zidane said it did, because France would take no risks, and that the forward had hyperextended his knee. France now play three more Nations League games in ten days without their captain and record scorer: Belgium in Brussels on Monday, then Italy on 2 October and Belgium again on 5 October, both at the Stade de France.

Real Madrid have not published a diagnosis. The club's own match report says only that he was substituted with discomfort in his left knee. He will be assessed by Madrid's medical services, and the fixtures come quickly once the break ends. Madrid host Villarreal on 10 October, travel to Roma in the Champions League on 14 October and play the first Clásico of the season at Barcelona on 25 October. They are already without Federico Valverde, who has a grade 3 ankle sprain.

The worry in Madrid is the knee itself. Mbappé's left knee kept him out for spells last season, and in March the club confirmed a sprain in it, treated without surgery. Nobody has yet said whether Friday's injury is connected.

France held on after Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off late for handling outside his area. Zidane had moved Mbappé to the left wing for his first game, with Ousmane Dembélé through the middle. He now has three days to find another answer before Brussels.