Kroupi on target as France clinch Nations League quarters spot

In a crucial match at Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux, France's Eli Junior Kroupi secured the winning goal, contributing to his nation's 2-1 victory over Turkey. The win propelled Les Bleus into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League, marking their return to this stage after a disappointing 3-1 loss to Italy earlier in the week.

Kroupi, a 20-year-old Bournemouth forward, replaced Bradley Barcola just past the hour mark and added a second goal from an assist by Rayan Cherki. Turkey's Abdulkerim Bardakci pulled one back in the final minute, but the French team maintained their lead with 13 points, one ahead of Belgium. The French squad, who won the Nations League in 2021, will face a team from another group in the quarter-finals, with the draw set for this Friday.

Potential opponents include World Cup winners Spain. France has faced several injury challenges, but captain Kylian Mbappe, who had missed the last four matches, returned to the team for this crucial game. The significance of this match for Zinedine Zidane, who made his name at Bordeaux in the 1990s and led France to World Cup glory in 1998, was particularly heightened as he returned to the city where his career began.