HAMBURG: Three goals scored in five games, one a penalty and two own goals, and yet Kylian Mbappe’s France are into the semi-finals of yet another major tournament as Spain await at Euro 2024.
It is remarkable that any team could get to the last four of such a competition despite struggling so much in front of goal, but all the more so when that team is captained by arguably the best forward in the world.
Mbappe is surrounded by other world-class attackers, but his penalty in a group-stage draw with Poland is the only goal scored by a French player at this European Championship.
Having edged Belgium in the last 16 thanks to a late own goal, France came through a nail-biting quarter-final against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Friday, triumphing 5-3 on penalties after a goalless two hours of football in Hamburg.
“I have said it before lots of competitions. The most important thing is that we win,” Mbappe told reporters.
“People thought it was a wisecrack. I have only scored one goal but we are in the semi-finals and I am really happy.”
In charge for 12 years and at his sixth major tournament, France coach Didier Deschamps has regularly been criticised for not playing thrilling football with an extraordinary collection of players.
But he has always got results, with France winning the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League under his watch.
They lost the 2022 World Cup final on penalties to Argentina and the Euro 2016 final in extra time against Portugal.
Now they are in a fourth semi-final in the last five major tournaments despite their paltry record in front of goal.
Greece may be remembered as perhaps the least spectacular side to win such a competition, but their status as outsiders at Euro 2004 justified a more cautious approach, and they still scored seven goals in six matches.
Including their 0-0 friendly draw against Canada just before the Euros, France have gone six games without one of their players finding the net in open play, a first in 60 years according to statisticians Opta.
That record has not prevented them advancing to Tuesday’s semi-final against a Spain side who have found the net 11 times in Germany.
“I don’t want to lie. In the dressing room we were not thinking much about the fact we didn’t score,” Mbappe insisted on Friday night.
France’s captain is at the heart of the issue though.
The new Real Madrid signing is having a poor tournament, struggling to adapt to playing while wearing a protective face mask after breaking his nose in France’s opening game against Austria.
Sports daily L’Equipe gave him two out of 10 for his performance against Portugal, when he watched the penalty shootout from the bench after being substituted midway through extra time.
The form of Antoine Griezmann is an ongoing problem too – he has been shifted around various different positions and has now scored just twice in his last 33 international appearances.
“Obviously for different reasons Antoine and Kylian are not on their best form,” conceded Deschamps.
“The two of them are supposed to make us more clinical than we are. But we still have a collective strength. Others have stepped up and done very, very well.” — AFP
