Although there was little at stake on paper – both teams had already sealed their place in the Nations League knockouts – France were looking to end what had been a campaign of drab displays on a high as they faced Italy at the San Siro. Les Bleus fell to defeat at the Parc des Princes in September, but could reclaim top spot in the group with a win by two goals in the return fixture on Sunday night.
Only four players retained their spot in the starting lineup from last Thursday – an ultimately uneventful goalless draw that was overshadowed by the off-pitch context of the game. In Milan, Marcus Thuram was notably brought in to lead the line in familiar surroundings. The midfield, which was entirely bereft of creativity at the Stade de France, was entirely overhauled – Adrien Rabiot, Manu Koné and Mattéo Guendouzi coming into the fray.
Given the main talking point of the past few international breaks has Kylian Mbappé’s absence, more so than the nondescript performances on the pitch, a statement win would have been a welcome boost for Didier Deschamps after a largely disappointing calendar year.
The thunderous booing of the Marseillaise before the match was evidence enough that the Franco-Italian rivalry remained as heated as ever (the Italian players, however, clapped throughout the French national anthem). The San Siro was silenced soon enough, though, as Rabiot headed in the opening goal from a corner two minutes into the game.
There were chances to doube the lead on the break as the half went on – Marcus Thuram in particular impressing with his hold-up play, even if his decision-making in the final third was lacking.
Les Bleus began to see more of the ball as the half went on – even keeping possession for long stretches of play, as the Azzurri retreated back into their own half. Deschamps’ men eventually doubled their lead on the half-hour mark, with Lucas Digne swinging a free-kick into the top corner – although the strike would eventually be ruled as an own goal from Guglielmo Vicario.
The response from the hosts was instant, as an unmarked Cambiaso crashed into the box to convert Dimarco’s low cross from close range. Les Bleus would remain under siege for the remaining ten minutes of the first half, with a few crucial interceptions from Guendouzi cutting out some of the hosts’ ensuing chances.
The first twenty minutes of the second half followed a similar pattern, with Thuram’s sporadic breakaways offering the only respite to a French defence which nonetheless managed to weather the storm. France eventually restored their two-goal cushion by courtesy of the same set-piece combination which opened the scoring – with Rabiot scoring his first international double in the process.
The visitors were able to hold on against an increasingly blunted Italian attack, and clinch retaliation for the defeat in September at the Parc des Princes – as well as leapfrogging Italy to take top spot in the group. There was a sense that glimpses of a more promising 2025 emerged for France in the fiery San Siro atmosphere – not least with some standout performances from a new-look midfield. The frontline, though, remains a problem area – despite the impressive workrate of Thuram and Kolo Muani throughout the match.
France player ratings
Mike Maignan, 5
Jules Koundé, 5
Ibrahima Konaté, 8 – An assured first outing as captain for the Liverpool defender.
William Saliba, 7
Lucas Digne, 8–
Mattéo Guendouzi, 7
Manu Koné, 7
Adrien Rabiot, 8 – There some misgivings regarding the 29-year-old’s inclusion in the squad, having only just retuned to club football after a lengthy spell as a free agent. On Sunday night, though, the Marseille man turned in a standout performance in midfield – aside from his headed double, he led the way as the veteran of a revamped midfield that thoroughly outclassed Italy’s both physically and technically.
Chistopher Nkunku, 4 – The Chelsea man was tasked with providing the link between a revamped midfield and the two-man frontline. While he took up some promising positions in between the lines, some poor decision-making and heavy touches rendered many of his involvements futile.
Marcus Thuram, 6 – The Inter striker’s workrate, often operating from isolated positions, was key to alleviating the pressure on his teammates amid Italy’s waves of attacks. Some good hold-up play and interceptions high up the pitch, but his decision-making in the final third could have been more efficient. Replaced by Bradley Barcola for the final ten minutes.
Randal Kolo Muani, 5
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin – reporting from the Stadio San Siro, Milan
