Benzema disappointing, borrowed circles, Mbappé not rewarded … The notes of the Blues against Croatia

It was time for the season to end. The France team concluded the last international window of 2021-2022 with a home defeat against Croatia (0-1) in the League of Nations on Monday June 13. Defending champions, the Blues will not play in the Final Four. In question: a team without idea and unable to make the most of its potential, like a Guendouzi-Kamara-Rabiot trio missed out on their match in the middle.

Mike Maignan: 5.5/10

As in his previous tenure, he did not concede a goal in the course of the game. Unfortunately, the penalty scored by Luka Modric (5th) spoils his evening, especially as he touches the ball. His double intervention coming out of his goal, first on Budimir, then Brekalo (15th), and his parade against Lovro Majer (72nd) highlighted him.

Jules Kounde: 3.5/10

He had said that playing on one side was “not natural” for him last fall and Sevilla made it feel good tonight. He brought nothing to his right lane and, like his imprecise intervention on the opening of the outside of the sublime foot of Modric (39th), the former Bordelais did not reassure. Didier Deschamps clarified after the match that Koundé had played with an hamstring injury and was going to be operated on on Tuesday. Replaced at the break by Benjamin Pavard (3.5/10) who almost offered a decisive pass to Brekalo after a completely missed head clearance (58th). Voluntary offensively, however, he failed to send a single good cross, never looking up to see if a teammate was able to receive the leather.

Ibrahima Konate: 4/10

His first selection had been a success, the second started very badly, with a penalty given to the opponent, for stepping on the foot of Budimir (4th). The Liverpool defender struggled at times to cover the spaces behind his back. He ends the meeting with an almost blank statistics sheet on the defensive level (0 successful tackle, 1 won aerial duel, 1 interception), even if his header above the bar sent a final shiver through the Stadium. of France.

Presnel Kimpembe: 6/10

Not much to say about his performance. The Parisian did his job well. He is one of the reasons why France only conceded four shots. He finished the game with 98% of successful passes (65/66) and no fouls committed.

Lucas Digne: 5.5/10

Perhaps the most dangerous of the French players in the first period, with a nice half-volley from outside the area (45 + 1), the Everton player did not have much to reproach himself for. He did not go far from obtaining a penalty in the second period (67th).

Matteo Guendouzi: 4/10

After the heads side, the tails side. The uninhibited player seen in Split could not hide his frustration this evening. Uninspired in his orientation of the game and lacking teeth in the duel, he signaled himself for the first time by receiving a yellow card after only 17 minutes of play, for a violent foul on Brekalo. If we have to keep the positive of his performance, we will say that he did not make any obvious mistake and that he managed to play more than 80 minutes without being sent off. Replaced by Antoine Griezmann (81st).

Boubacar Kamara: 4/10

After being one of the best, if not the best, in the previous match, the new Aston Villa player showed above all his inability to speed up the game or do it properly, like his openings directly in six meters. For his defense, he was one of the few to scratch balls in the opposing camp thanks to effective pressing. Replaced at the break by Aurelien Tchouameni (5.5/10), which had the merit of being reassuring in the heart of the game. If he also failed to break the lines with the pass, he kept the Blues in the match thanks to a saving tackle in his own area (58th).

Adrian Rabiot: 4/10

Like Kamara and Guendouzi, he will have been one of the symbols of this idealess France team. His few pressing actions in the first period were not rewarded. Invested but not decisive.

Christopher Nkunku: 4.5/10

Used on the right side, in a role that is not his in the club, the Leipzig player did not seem comfortable. He only signaled himself by taking a bite and the door kept closing in front of him. His investment in thankless tasks (aerial duels, laundry) will not be enough to hide the fact that more was expected of him. Replaced by Kingsley Coman (73rd)who almost offered the equalizer in added time to Benzema (90 + 4).

Karim Benzema: 3.5/10

The favorite for the next Ballon d’Or was not in his match, as if he needed the instructions once in the opposing area. Twice he forgot to shoot when he was in the ideal position, especially in the 54th minute. Disappointing and unusual.

Kylian Mbappe: 6/10

When the France team can’t do it, it usually relies on the Parisian striker. As usual, each of his ball-to-foot breakthroughs triggered that characteristic clamor in the stands, but none had the expected outcome. Unlike his entry into the game in Split which had changed everything, the Parisian did not find the fault. Difficult on the other hand to reproach him for being individualistic, as his partners offered him few solutions, especially in the first period. He finished the game with six shots and five successful dribbles (no one did better in this match), after giving of himself and almost leaving on injury following a blow to the ankle (64th).