Kylian Mbappé etched his name further into French footballing history by scoring his 50th international goal in France's 2-0 victory over Germany in the UEFA Nations League third-place match held on Sunday. The match, played in Stuttgart, saw Les Bleus secure a bronze medal after a somewhat underwhelming Nations League campaign, while Germany were left to ponder their inconsistencies.
The game itself was a tale of two halves. Germany, playing on home soil, dominated the first half, creating several opportunities to take the lead. Florian Wirtz came closest, his shot cannoning off the post, while Nick Woltemade forced a good save from France's goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Despite Germany's pressure, it was France who broke the deadlock just before halftime. Aurélien Tchouaméni found Mbappé, who finished with a brilliant right-footed curler, leaving the German defense helpless and bringing up his landmark 50th goal for France.
The second half saw a more resolute French side emerge. Germany thought they had equalized early in the second half through Deniz Undav, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, which deemed that Niclas Füllkrug had fouled Adrien Rabiot in the build-up. This decision was met with considerable frustration from the German camp. France then sealed the victory in the 84th minute. Mbappé capitalized on a mix-up between Jonathan Tah and Robin Koch, driving towards goal before unselfishly squaring the ball to Michael Olise, who slotted home into an empty net.
Mbappé's goal puts him within touching distance of Thierry Henry (51 goals) and Olivier Giroud (57 goals) in the all-time French scoring charts. Beyond the goal, Mbappé's overall performance earned him the Player of the Match award. His ability to both score and create chances was evident, as he also provided the assist for Olise's late goal. This marked the 17th time Mbappé has registered a goal and an assist in a match for France, a record surpassing even the great Thierry Henry.
France coach Didier Deschamps, who had earlier downplayed the importance of the third-place match, made several changes to his starting lineup, giving opportunities to players like Cherki. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann also rotated his squad, but his side ultimately failed to convert their dominance into goals. Reflecting on the game, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich suggested that France "were not bothered winning" in the first half, but still managed to secure the victory.
With the Nations League campaign concluded, both teams now turn their attention to the future. France will focus on qualifying for the World Cup, aiming to build on their rich history in the competition, while Germany will need to regroup and address the inconsistencies that have plagued them throughout this Nations League cycle. For Mbappé, the journey continues as he chases down Henry and Giroud to become France's all-time leading goalscorer.
