France secured a 2-1 victory over Turkey on Monday at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux to claim first place in Group A1 of the UEFA Nations League. The win guarantees Les Bleus a spot in the quarterfinals alongside Belgium, while Turkey finished at the bottom of the group with zero points.
Bordeaux Match Secures Top Spot
France entered the final matchday needing a result to bounce back from a 3-1 defeat against Italy at San Siro on November 13, 2026, as reported by Kompas. Zinedine Zidane’s squad dominated the opening half, though Turkish goalkeeper Berke Özer turned away multiple attempts from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola to keep the match scoreless at halftime.
The deadlock broke in the 49th minute when a corner kick from Rayan Cherki was deflected into the net by Emir Topçu following a header from Adrien Rabiot. Rabiot’s header deflected off Emir Topçu into his own net for an own goal. Turkey briefly responded two minutes later through Arda Güler, but VAR officials disallowed the effort for offside.
Late Goals Seal Group Victory
Eli Junior Kroupi extended the lead with his debut goal for France after Cherki unlocked the defense with a precise pass, sending a low shot past Özer. Abdülkerim Bardakcı managed to pull a goal back for Turkey in the final moments of the match with a header from a Güler corner kick, but France held on for the win.
The victory brought France to 13 points, securing the Group A1 title and a place in the quarterfinals. Belgium joined them in the next round by finishing second with 12 points following a 4-1 win over Italy, leaving Gli Azzurri in third place.
Zidane Dismisses Locker Room Rumors
Ahead of the fixture in Bordeaux, head coach Zinedine Zidane forcefully rejected media reports of friction between himself and team captain Mbappé. Rumors had circulated regarding a strained relationship following tactical disagreements and Mbappé’s absence from the loss in Milan due to a hamstring issue.
“I don’t really understand what is written,” Zidane told Goal.com and Kompas, adding that the speculation was frustrating. “I won’t enter into that debate; our relationship is very good. Both for the player and for me. I can’t stop what people say.” Zidane confirmed Mbappé returned to lead the starting lineup in a 4-3-3 formation against Turkey.
Earlier coverage: France Faces Turkey in Nations League a Group Fixture
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