Bloodied and booked, it’s a night to forget for Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe of France holds his nose after suffering an injury during a Euro 2024 Group D match against Austria. Picture: AP Photo/Frank Augstein
In what has been a tournament so far dominated by the young princes of European football, Kylian Mbappe had his chance to remind the whipper-snappers hot on his heels that he is the man for the big occasion – but fluffed his lines.
Although he was instrumental in the only goal of the game, when Austrian defender Maximilian Wöber headed Mbappe's cross into his own net, the new France captain had a miserable evening by his high standards, missing three good chances and going off in the closing stages with a booking, a bloodied nose and a booing to boot.
France won in the end, but like England the night before, they started brightly, faded badly and looked far from convincing, and Mbappe's performance summed up a strange night for them.
With due respect to Cristiano Ronaldo, who is no longer guaranteed a place in Portugal's starting eleven, what the world wants to see at this championship is who will emerge as the best of the next generation of superstars.
Jamal Musiala is Germany's prodigious playmaker, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal has showed he can be the future for Spain, and on Sunday night Jude Bellingham put on a masterclass for England to lay down his credentials as the next best in class.
At 25, Mbappe maybe sits between the generations, having both won and then lost a World Cup final and been the subject of two huge transfers, to Paris St Germain and now to Real Madrid. He is now France captain leading them in a tournament for the first time, but is still seen as a work in progress, with the best expected to come when he finally dons the all white of Los Blancos next season and works his way closer to the Ballon d'Or and big club trophies that have so far eluded him. By comparison with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, let alone Modric, Toni Kroos and others, his medal count is modest – that 2018 World Cup win aside.
There was a huge roar inside the Dusseldorf Arena when his name was called out, and undoubtedly a surge of expectation as the world tuned in to watch in their millions.
And although he played a key part in France's opening goal, he did not deliver the sort of statement performance that those other three had done in their team's opening games.
Nominally playing as a number nine, he could not resist drifting left or right, alternating with either Marcus Thuram or Ousmane Dembele on either wing. His first chance to open the scoring came when he cut in from his favoured left-wing position in the eighth minute, raced on to a pass from Theo Hernandez and bore down on goal. His shot was towards the near post, however, and Patrick Pentz comfortably turned the ball away for a corner. Shortly before half-time, the Austrian keeper came out on top again after Mbappe made a clever run on to a long ball through the middle, but failed to get it fully under control and Pentz threw himself on top of it.
In between those two misses, though, he showed why Fabio Capello had said before the tournament that a defender can 'never sleep' when Mbappe is around. The unfortunate victim was Phillip Mwenne. The Austrian left-back lost possession deep in his own half, and Mbappe pounced quickly, selling Mwenne a dummy as he took the ball to the byline, before firing in a cross that Wober headed into his own net. His celebration suggested he was claiming the credit, correctly, but there was still a lingering suspicion that his radar was not fully tuned, which was borne out when he missed another great chance ten minutes after half-time. When he sprinted from the half-way line, shook off his marker and moved towards the penalty area, most spectators expected the next move to be the ball bulging in the net. Mbappe's aim was not true, however, and he curled his shot beyond the far post.
It was in keeping with a sense of frustration for France. Didier Deschamps' side started strongly, but Mbappe was not the only one missing chances. Dembele shot high and wide, Thuram had a shot well saved by the excellent Pentz, and Antoine Griezmann had little return for a lot of hard work, except for a cut head after colliding with an advertising board.
Austria had chances too, with Mike Maignan making several excellent saves, denying Christoph Baumgartner at close-range in the first half and then at even closer quarters in the 78th minute, getting a boot in the head in the process. Ralf Rangnick has revitalised the Austrians since leaving Manchester United two years ago, and his side are no pushovers, with former United man Marcel Sabitzer driving them on from midfield.
They threatened to equalise several times as the game went to a nervy finish for the French, with the outstanding N'Golo Kante saving them with a late interception as Patrick Wimmer ran in on goal in the 85th minute. At that point, Mbappe was down in the Austrian penalty area with a bloodied nose that was to end his involvement early. But the drama was not over yet. As Mbappe was led around the pitch by medical staff, about to be substituted, he walked back on and promptly sat down again, leading referee Jesus Gil Manzano to book him. When he was finally replaced by Olivier Giroud, his name was loudly booed by Austrian fans.
His side came out on top in the end, but it was not Kylian Mbappe's night.
Pentz 9; Posch 7, Danso 7, Wober 5 (Trauner 60), Mwene 5; Seiwald 6, Sabitzer 8, Laimer7, Baumgartner 7, Grillitsch 7 (Wimmer 60) ; Gergoritsch 6 (Arnautovic 60)
Maignan 7; Kounde 6, Upamecano 6, Saliba 7, Hernandez 7; Griezmann 7 (Fofana 88), Kante 8, Rabiot 6 (Camavinga 71; Dembele 6 (Kolo Muani 71), Mbappe 6 (Giroud 88), Thuram 6
Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain) 6/10
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