Still looking for a Euro goal – Is injured Kylian Mbappé the answer for France?

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Euro 2024 

For the second game in a row, a French player has failed to score. But while France was rescued by an Austria own goal to win 1-0 on matchday 1 against the Netherlands, there was no help from the opponent. Although the 0-0 draw pretty much secures France a passage to the next round, manager Didier Deschamps will face questions about his side’s lack of attacking prowess. And with Kylian Mbappé out with a broken nose, do France have enough to be dangerous at the tournament? 

The result against the Netherlands will further raise that question. Because France had chances. “We weren’t efficient enough,” Deschamps said. Adrien Rabiot perhaps had the biggest one in the first half. The midfielder tanked his way into the box and had Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen. But instead of scoring with his first touch, Rabiot made a second and third touch and then fumbled a pass to Antoine Griezmann, which the winger failed to get across the line. It would be France’s biggest opportunity in the first half. 

When the final whistle blew, France led the xG 1.42 vs 0.33. The Dutch, of course, did score, but the long-distance goal by Xavi Simons was waved off as Denzel Dumfries blocked Mike Maignan’s ability to reach the ball from an offside position. With that in mind, the 0-0 draw was perhaps justified. But it does raise questions among the French camp: Where will the goals ultimately come from at the later stages of this tournament? Perhaps from Mbappé?

“Kylian is doing well, getting better every day,” Deschamps said after the game. “If it would have been a decisive game, he would have played with the mask. But the more time we have the better it is getting, and it was a wise decision to keep him on the bench for this game.” But would it really have made a difference in this game? Although Mbappé had his moments in the Austria game, he also failed to score in that game and then collected a yellow card when he forced his substitution. 

In fact, while Mbappé has an excellent track record at the World Cup where he has scored 12 goals and three assists in 14 games, the future Real Madrid winger is yet to score at the Euros. The 25-year-old plays only his second Euros after playing his first European Championship tournament three years ago. In that tournament, Mbappé managed just two assists in four games as France was eliminated by Switzerland on penalties in the round of 16 (7-8).

The lack of productivity by the forward, in fact, was a big factor in that early exit. That, in turn, means that it will be paramount for Deschamps to get the most valuable player of the tournament going by the time the group stages come along. “I don’t think we would have thought twice about playing him if this was a crucial game,” Deschamps said. Thanks to the draw today, his teammates bought Mbappé a bit more time before the knockout stages kick off and France will try to better their result from three years ago.