Kylian Mbappé marked his debut as France captain on Friday with two goals and an assist, leading the World Cup finalists to a 4‑0 victory over a depleted Netherlands side in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Paris. He succeeded long‑standing skipper Hugo Lloris, and the new era began brightly as the Paris Saint‑Germain star set up the pink‑haired Antoine Griezmann inside two minutes. Dayot Upamecano added the second goal in the eighth minute, and Mbappé completed his hat‑trick before the halfway point, making it 3‑0. He sealed the win emphatically with another strike two minutes from the end, after the Netherlands’ Memphis Depay had a stoppage‑time penalty saved by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
It was a display of ruthless efficiency from Didier Deschamps’ side against a Dutch team missing several key players after a virus swept through their squad. The Netherlands, coached by Ronald Koeman in his second spell, were without Cody Gakpo, Matthijs de Ligt, Sven Botman, Denzel Dumfries and Frenkie de Jong for various reasons. France can at least console themselves that their toughest assignment in qualifying Group B is behind them; their next game is at home to Gibraltar on Monday, followed by a trip to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland. Given that the top two teams in each group qualify, it will take something remarkable for France to miss out on next year’s Euro.
This was France’s first match since their World Cup final defeat on penalties to Argentina just over three months ago. Four changes were made to Deschamps’ lineup: Hugo Lloris and centre‑back Raphaël Varane had retired and were honoured on the Stade de France pitch before kick‑off; Ousmane Dembélé was injured, and Olivier Giroud started on the bench. In goal came AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, while Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté partnered him in central defence. Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani, both substitutes in the Doha final, earned starts.
Mbappé promised to play a unifying role for his country after taking the armband, though he admitted that Griezmann was disappointed to be overlooked for the captaincy by Deschamps. Usually, when Mbappé receives the ball on the left side of the box he shapes to shoot at the far corner; instead, in the second minute he delivered a square pass for the arriving Griezmann to finish first‑time. Griezmann, reprising the midfield role he excelled in at the World Cup, then set up the second goal. His whipped free‑kick from the right was mishandled by Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, allowing Bayern Munich defender Upamecano an easy finish.
The third goal displayed real class: Kolo Muani chose not to touch Aurélien Tchouaméni’s through ball, leaving the Dutch defence exposed and allowing Mbappé to beat the keeper. France led 3‑0 while holding barely 30 % possession, prompting Koeman to substitute Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor with Manchester United target man Wout Weghorst before half‑time. A fine Cillessen save from a Konaté header prevented another French goal before the break, and substitute Moussa Diaby later had a goal disallowed. Mbappé sealed the win two minutes from time, pouncing on a loose ball, firing a shot through Jurrien Timber’s legs and into the bottom corner. The evening concluded with Maignan saving Depay’s penalty, awarded after an Upamecano handball.
Comments are closed for this story.