The Blues validated their ticket for the next Euro by winning in Amsterdam (2-1) on Friday, thanks to a double from Kylian Mbappé, who overtakes Michel Platini in the ranking of scorers for the French team.
The Blues will be in Germany in June 2024. If there was already almost no doubt, their qualification for the Euro is now confirmed thanks to the victory obtained against the Netherlands (2-1), Friday October 13, in Amsterdam. Led by Kylian Mbappé, author of a double (7th, 53rd), the French team continued its momentum, achieving a sixth success in as many matches in this group B of the qualifiers.
As the friendly defeat against Germany in September (1-2) suggested, in which his captain did not participate, the French selection frankly needs him. The last mixed performances of Kylian Mbappé at club, silent in his last four matches, nevertheless left some doubts. He swept them away from the first tricolor action by playing the acrobats of a subtle recovery on a cross from Jonathan Clauss (7th), very prominent for his return to Blue more than a year after his last cape. Then by sending a shot at 102 km/h into the Dutch goals after returning from the locker room (53rd).
In front of Platini at 24
After this double from the Parisian, the 2,700 French supporters who made the trip to Amsterdam had a blast with “We are at home”. The rain which flooded northern Venice all day did not cool the Blues, dry under the closed roof of the Johan Cruyff Arena. For his part, Mbappé overtook Michel Platini (41 goals) in the ranking of top scorers for the France team, by scoring his 41st and 42nd goals.
In the wake of their captain, not always inspired but decisive, the Blues could not help but win. Like the Parisian striker, his teammates are sure of their strengths. They even aimed for perfection at the end of the playoff campaign. For several days, they have expressed their desire to complete it without having conceded a single goal. This will not be the case, because Quilindschy Hartman (83rd) came to break the dynamic by sanctioning Mike Maignan’s hesitant match. Once is not customary, the French goalkeeper made, despite a save on a shot from Xavi Simons (36th), a few hand faults and was caught at the near post on the Dutch goal.
An unbalancing choice
In control throughout the match, the Blues cracked three minutes after Didier Deschamps changed his right side, which had been working very well until then. On the Dutch goal, the incoming Malo Gusto and Randal Kolo Muani, shifted after the exit of Kingsley Coman, were too easily eliminated. Despite Orange pressing at the end of the match and a stadium that pushed, the Tricolores held on to validate their 15th consecutive participation in a major tournament.
If the Dutch team was decimated by a dozen injuries, this double success, after the victory in March (4-0), against the toughest opponent in group B says a lot about the French team’s good run in these playoffs. The Blues will therefore be able to end the year peacefully, with a new friendly match on Tuesday against Scotland in Lille, followed by the last two matches of these qualifications, against Gibraltar and Greece in November. They will still need to validate their place among the top five in the group to ensure top seed status for the Euro 2024 draw.