France suffered their first defeat under Zinedine Zidane on Thursday night, losing 3-1 to Italy at San Siro after throwing away an early lead. Michael Olise put France ahead following an error from Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Italy fought back through Francesco Pio Esposito and Davide Frattesi. Esposito then converted a penalty to complete the comeback and send Italy to the top of UEFA Nations League Group A1.

France were without captain Kylian Mbappé, who missed the match with a hamstring problem.

Zidane confirmed before kick-off that he was not prepared to take a risk with the Real Madrid forward, although he expected him to be available for Sunday's meeting with Türkiye.

Mbappé's absence quickly became a talking point after the final whistle, with some France supporters questioning how much the team depends on their captain.

France Fans Question the Team's Dependence on Mbappé

The defeat prompted plenty of discussion online, particularly about the difference Mbappé makes to France's attack.

One supporter argued that the team still relies heavily on their captain, writing:

“This is Kylian Mbappé’s France team, and tonight’s match shows it once again. The others are excellent, etc., nothing to say about that, but the day they win a major international tournament, we’ll give them the superlatives that go with it, not before.”

Another fan was even more direct about his influence:

“Kylian Mbappé is the one who made the world see France as a dominant, terrifying force. That’s the truth whether you like it or not.”

Others felt France lacked confidence without him. One supporter wrote:

“I must admit, without Kylian Mbappé this France team is so average, nothing like the confidence you’ll have when Mbappé is on the pitch. They look so lost in this game.”

Another brought Lionel Messi into the debate, comparing France's performance with Inter Miami's displays when the Argentine is absent:

“France without Mbappé is like Inter Miami without Lionel Messi. Italy is cooking them.”

The comments reflect the importance supporters attach to Mbappé, particularly when France are struggling to find a way through a difficult match.

Italy Expose France's Problems Without Their Captain

Mbappé's absence was a major talking point, but France's defeat cannot be explained by one player's unavailability.

They started well enough to take the lead through Olise, but Italy responded strongly and made their chances count. Esposito and Frattesi gave the hosts control of the match, while Esposito's penalty settled the contest.

Zidane was also without several other important players, including Ousmane Dembélé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Ibrahima Konaté, William Saliba, Jules Koundé and Marcus Thuram.

Italy took advantage of those absences and moved above France in the group standings. Belgium are third after beating Türkiye.

Zidane now has to prepare his side for Sunday's meeting with Türkiye. France will want an immediate response after their first loss under the new manager, while supporters will be hoping Mbappé is fit enough to return.