Yildiz ruled out with metatarsal fracture, Turkey without star player against France

Kenan Yildiz will not be on the pitch on September 25 in Istanbul. The Juventus forward, who was substituted due to injury during last weekend’s Serie A match against Frosinone, has suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his left foot that will likely require surgery. His absence could extend over several months.

At 21 years old, Yildiz has established himself as one of Juventus’s most influential players over the past two seasons. With the Turkish national team, he has already earned 31 caps for 5 goals and embodies, alongside Arda Güler (also 21), the renewal of Turkish football under Vincenzo Montella.

This absence comes a month before Zinédine Zidane’s debut on the France bench. The new France manager will unveil his first squad list on Thursday, September 17, before beginning a cycle of four Ligue des Nations matches: away trips to Turkey (September 25) and Belgium (September 28), then two home fixtures against Italy (October 2) and Belgium (October 5).

On the French side, William Saliba, who is nursing a back injury, is also expected to be unavailable. Zidane’s squad list, anticipated to be expanded to 25 or 26 players given the packed schedule, will have to manage without certain key players from both camps.