The Albany Gazette - Mbappe says having Zidane as France coach 'like a film'

Former Real Madrid boss Zidane will take charge of Les Bleus for the first time since replacing Didier Deschamps on Friday in their Nations League match against Turkey in Izmit.

"He was the first person who picked me up to take me to Real Madrid, to the training complex. I was 13 or 14, so it was a long time ago," Mbappe said in an interview with Spanish daily AS of meeting Zidane at a trial for Real Madrid's youth teams.

"Now he's my national team coach. It's like a film, but it's amazing. It's real."

Deschamps's final tournament of a 14-year stint in charge ended in disappointment as France were well beaten by Spain in the World Cup semi-finals in July.

The two-time world champions start their preparations for Euro 2028 with four Nations League matches in the expanded international break, also facing Belgium twice and Italy at the Stade de France.

"We're starting a new process with France. We have two years to prepare for the European Championship and that's what we're focused on now," Mbappe said.

"It's a new era with a new coach. We have the Nations League coming up, four games, and we'll see how they go.

"It's going to be new for everyone because all we've known is Deschamps. It's going to be a change for us, but I think everything is going to go very well."

Mbappe has enjoyed a strong start to the season with Real Madrid, scoring eight goals in as many games in all competitions, but he failed to find the net in Sunday's derby defeat by Atletico Madrid.

Jose Mourinho returned to the Santiago Bernabeu tasked with ending two seasons without a major trophy, but Madrid are already six points behind reigning champions Barcelona in La Liga.

"Other people can talk, but we have to do more and work to bring the excitement back to Real Madrid and bring the trophies back," he added.

Mourinho hit out at the refereeing in the 2-1 loss to Atletico, but Mbappe was not as forthright in his criticism.

"I have my thoughts, but I keep them to myself. I've never been that kind of player and I'm not going to start now," he said.

"The referee is human and makes mistakes, and there were mistakes, but I don't want to get into that."

(B.Smith--TAG)