Kylian Mbappe was pivotal for France, contributing a goal and an assist in their 2-0 triumph over Germany during the Nations League bronze-medal match held in Stuttgart on Sunday. Despite France fielding a significantly reshuffled squad, Mbappe illuminated the pitch with his skills. While Germany dominated possession in the first half, it was just before half-time that Mbappe broke the deadlock, firing through a crowded penalty area to mark his 50th national team goal. As Germany pushed for an equalizer in the second half, Kylian Mbappe intercepted a misplaced pass near the midline and quickly set up Michael Olise for the second goal.
The match emphasized the remarkable depth of France’s squad, with Kylian Mbappe demonstrating his sharp finishing and blistering speed. For Germany, this loss was their second in a row, sparking concerns over their development under coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Ahead of the match, France’s coach Didier Deschamps described the clash with Germany as “not the most important game for us,” reiterating their focus on the upcoming World Cup. He made eight changes from the lineup that faced Spain in the semi-finals, retaining only captain Kylian Mbappe, goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and veteran midfielder Adrien Rabiot.
Nagelsmann also made rotations, implementing four changes and bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI. Germany started strongly, crafting multiple chances including a penalty won by Karim Adeyemi, which was controversially overturned by VAR for diving, while Florian Wirtz came agonizingly close with a shot that hit the post.
Mbappe’s moment came on the brink of half-time when he skillfully controlled a lofted pass that sailed over Germany’s tall midfielder Joshua Kimmich, took a decisive touch, and finished with his iconic right foot.Nagelsmann substituted rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav after the interval. Woltemade scored immediately, but Fuellkrug’s foul in the build-up disallowed the goal.
Despite having the most of the possession and the territorial edge, Germany was unable to stop the speedster Mbappe’s quick counterattacks. Marcus Thuram nearly doubled the lead hitting the post in the 58th minute, but it was Kylian Mbappe who later assisted Olise for the finishing touch.With only six minutes left, he took advantage of a bad clearing by Robin Koch, pushed forward, and squarely transferred the ball to Olise for a simple tap-in.
Later in the day, Spain, the defending champions, was scheduled to play Portugal in Munich with the goal of winning the Nations League this year.
