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Theo Hernandez’s early strike and a first international goal for second-half substitute Randal Kolo Muani ensure reigning champions France are back in the World Cup final, where they’ll play Lionel Messi and Argentina on Sunday afternoon. Morocco fought valiantly, but Les Bleus can now become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to defend their crown as world champions.
Continue reading “WC 2022 – France 2-0 Morocco: Hernandez, Kolo Muani sink historic Africans, into Sunday’s final”
For all the talk of focusing on defending against the brilliance of Kylian Mbappe, it was France’s all-time top goalscorer Olivier Giroud – who spent nine years playing in England’s top-tier – delivering the final blow as Gareth Southgate’s men showed spirit but ultimately crashed out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage with a jarring 2-1 defeat by the defending champions. Continue reading “France 2-1 England: Giroud the matchwinner as Kane’s penalty miss sends Southgate’s men out”
Olivier Giroud surpassed Thierry Henry to top the all-time goalscoring charts for France, scoring against a former teammate in goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny no less, before Kylian Mbappe’s second-half brace ended Poland’s fading hopes of a late comeback. Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski scored a retaken penalty late, on what could be his last World Cup appearance. Continue reading “France 3-1 Poland: Giroud breaks all-time record, Mbappe’s second-half brace puts Poles to the sword”
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Four of the last five World Cup winners have gone on to crash out in the group stages at the subsequent tournament, a statistic beginning with France themselves back in 2002. For a 20-minute spell in their Group D opener against Australia, you could be forgiven for thinking history would repeat itself. Now though, they’ll be expecting to build on a display highlighting some strengths while lluminating weaknesses with tougher challenges in the days to come.
Continue reading “France 4-1 Australia: World champions rally from early scare to earn big win in World Cup opener”
As reports emerged today that PSG’s superstar forward Kylian Mbappe wants to leave the club in January – a broken relationship with the board being cited as the reason – the 23-year-old made history with his first-half penalty: becoming the French champions’ highest-scoring player in the Champions League during their 1-1 Group H draw against Benfica earlier tonight.
Continue reading “Mbappe scores record-breaking goal in Benfica draw, as reports swirl he wants to leave PSG”
It felt fitting that, eight years after suffering stoppage-time heartbreak against Real with Atletico Madrid in Lisbon, Thibaut Courtois was Los Blancos’ impenetrable wall here, defiantly stifling Liverpool throughout – breaking the record for most saves in a Champions League Final with nine, producing greatness with the lights shining brightest on a career-defining night. Continue reading “Courtois’ inspired display – once again – proves a fitting end as Real clinch 14th CL title”
Karim Benzema’s 17-minute hat-trick sent the Bernabeu into raptures, as Real Madrid produced the seemingly improbable: recovering from 1-0 down on the night, and 2-0 on aggregate, stunning PSG to progress into the Champions League quarter-finals. The visitors, ahead after Kylian Mbappe’s near-post finish six minutes before half-time, capitulated again. Continue reading “Real Madrid (3) 3-1 (2) PSG: Benzema’s second-half hat-trick secures unlikely comeback”
Kylian Mbappe scored his second stoppage-time winner in four days, ensuring PSG hold a slender first leg lead in their Champions League last-16 clash with La Liga leaders Real Madrid. The visitors defended stoutly with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing saves galore – including a Lionel Messi penalty – but had no chance stopping a magical moment at the death.
Continue reading “PSG 1-0 Real Madrid: Mbappe’s stoppage-time magic sinks Los Blancos in tense first leg”
World champions France recovered from another deficit, for the second time in four days, to be crowned the 2021 UEFA Nations League champions with a 2-1 win over Euro 2020 semi-finalists Spain. Just like their comeback win over Belgium, goals from Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe saw them storm ahead in a frenetic second-half packed with chances for both sides. Continue reading “Spain 1-2 France: Les Bleus seal Nations League title the hard way after nailbiting finish”
In a week where he addressed the Real Madrid rumours and mother Fayza provided an update on her son’s future, Kylian Mbappe produced his best display since May to help propel France into the UEFA Nations League Final, where they play Euro 2020 semi-finalists Spain on Sunday.
Continue reading “Belgium 2-3 France: Benzema, Mbappe key as Les Bleus earn second-half comeback win”
Lionel Messi’s 21-year association with Barcelona, where he became the greatest player of his generation, ended yesterday. The Argentine joins a stacked PSG side whose pursuit of an elusive Champions League triumph has become clearer in recent months with their summer business. But while the seeds had been sown for a decade, even they wouldn’t have expected this…
Continue reading “Meticulous planning, irreparable damage and cruel irony: Lionel Messi at PSG”
Six years after his last call-up with politics, allegations of racism and an ongoing court case bubbling beneath the surface, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been named in Didier Deschamps’ 26-man France squad for the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament – which begins in less than a month’s time. He’s expected to lead the line after an excellent season at club level.
Continue reading “Euro 2020: Karim Benzema to make France return after six-year absence”
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