The bronca which accompanied his appearance on the lawn of the Ernst-Happel stadium, Friday June 10 during the match against Austria (1-1), did not bother him. Far from it, because Kylian Mbappé is not very attached to this kind of event. The striker of the France team is rather the type to play. And mark. Widely whistled by the 48,800 Austrian supporters – when Karim Benzema had been cheered before the meeting at the time of the composition of the teams -, Mbappé did not show feelings and allowed the Blues to leave Austria with a point.
We left him a week ago against Denmark. Borrowed, most certainly exhausted by his season and long negotiations over his future, the Paris Saint-Germain striker had achieved one of his dullest performances with the Blues, before leaving his teammates injured at halftime. . Hit in the knee, Mbappé was then forced to press the brake pedal. While remaining within the group, you never know.
5 – Kylian Mbappé has been involved in 5 goals in his last 5 appearances for the French national team (3 goals, 2 assists). Firefighter. #AUTFRA pic.twitter.com/qMxEtM3FOM
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 10, 2022
Didier Deschamps can consider himself lucky to have been able to count on him on Friday evening in Vienna, when his team broke their teeth on a realistic Austria determined to maintain their advantage in the score. “Kylian’s entry was decisive. (…) It’s always beneficial when he’s in the field“, confirmed Hugo Lloris in the mixed zone after the match. Because from the first minutes of his entry into play, the Mbappé’s first accelerations and his rediscovered complicity with Karim Benzema disrupted the Austrian defence.
The French prodigy therefore scored his 27th goal in Blue on his first opportunity. A devastating acceleration, a caviar from Christopher Nkunku and a clear strike under the crossbar. A few minutes later, he ran into Pentz. “A Miraculous Stop”according to Didier Deschamps in a press conference after the match. “It’s a shame, because I try to feign the goalkeeper but I don’t meet her enough”, slipped Mbappé at the microphone of TF1.
While the France team is in full doubt, after three games without a win and a game system that raises questions, Mbappé appears as the number 1 certainty. He is the X factor with Karim Benzema, the two players being able to do differences at any time.
Above all, the France team showed another face when it appeared on the lawn: more offensive, with an imbalance once again assumed forward, even if it was behind. With Mbappé, the Blues seem more conquering and the game becomes more fluid. His agreement with Benzema and the nascent one with Nkunku have something to do with it. All this, while Mbappé had not participated in the collective session yesterday. In the fine rain of the Austrian capital, he had contented himself with jogging on the lawn of the Ernst-Happel stadium.
It was therefore reassuring to see the PSG striker not complaining about his knee and playing without embarrassment on Friday evening. Determined to see the France team rediscover the taste of victory, Mbappé assured himself to be available to his coach for the last match of the rally on Monday, against Croatia. “I’m not 100%, but if the coach needs me, I’ll be there”, he explained. And to conclude, the desire intact: “There is only one match left and then it will be the holidays, so we can force a little.“