By Martin Graham
Kylian Mbappé marked his 50th goal for France with a composed finish in a 2-0 victory against Nations League hosts Germany in the third-place play-off. The French skipper opened the scoring just before the break, finishing confidently after receiving a well-timed pass from Aurelien Tchouameni, his club teammate at Real Madrid.
Late in the match, Mbappé also turned provider. Capitalizing on a defensive slip by Robin Koch, he set up Michael Olise with an unselfish assist, allowing the winger to tap the ball into an unguarded net with just six minutes remaining.
Germany created multiple opportunities but were repeatedly denied by VAR and a resolute French defense. Early in the match, Karim Adeyemi was initially awarded a penalty after a challenge from French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. However, video review led to the decision being overturned, and Adeyemi was instead cautioned for simulation.
Another blow came when Deniz Undav thought he had equalized, but the goal was ruled out due to a foul by Niclas Füllkrug on Adrien Rabiot during the build-up. Adeyemi continued to press for a goal, forcing three saves from Maignan, while Florian Wirtz rattled the post in a near-miss.
Although France could have increased their lead, with Marcus Thuram striking the post and Mbappé testing Marc-André ter Stegen, the two-goal cushion proved enough. The result extends Germany’s winless run to three matches, following their semi-final defeat to Portugal.
German captain Joshua Kimmich expressed frustration post-match, telling RTL that his side should have been ahead early but failed to maintain their structure. France coach Didier Deschamps praised Maignan’s impact and acknowledged his team’s fortune in leading at half-time, contrasting it with their earlier semi-final loss to Spain.
Spain and Portugal are set to face off in Sunday evening’s final in Munich.
