Dembélé's absence sends Mbappé back to centre-forward for France in November

Kylian Mbappé is expected to return to the centre-forward position for France during the next gathering in November, after Ousmane Dembélé’s injury has reshuffled Zinédine Zidane’s plans. The PSG striker, who suffered a left thigh injury during the Champions League match against FC Barcelona (4-2) two weeks ago, will miss both Nations League fixtures against Italy on 12 November in Milan and Turkey on 15 November in Bordeaux.

During his first gathering in September, Zidane had started Mbappé on the left wing in Izmit, relegating the Real Madrid striker to an unusual role. Dembélé’s absence should logically remove this obstacle and allow the Merengue to settle in the centre, where he proves most influential.

Commentator Daniel Riolo is categorical about this repositioning: “You’ll see him back as a 9 for France because on the wing, let’s be honest, that’s the past.” He believes Mbappé “is no longer motivated” by the left flank and that there is “no one better than him in France” in the centre.

Riolo does, however, nuance his remarks by recalling the collective context: according to him, the player “is not a problem in a team, as long as the team is well constructed”, a condition he now judges more fulfilled at Real Madrid than it was at PSG. “Once a team takes shape and he is surrounded correctly, there is no reason why a player of this quality should not express himself and finally flourish,” he adds.

The real question — whether Mbappé and Dembélé can coexist in the centre or whether a choice must be made — will not arise until March 2027, the date of the next gathering where both strikers could be reunited. Zidane will announce his squad on Friday at 6 p.m.