Kylian Mbappé (back) celebrates with the French. © APA/afp / FRANCK FIFE

France once again shows Germany its limits

France achieved a conciliatory finish with third place in the Football Nations League.

June 08, 2025

From: dpa/dl

The Équipe Tricolore beat Germany 2-0 (1-0) in Stuttgart on Sunday. Kylian Mbappé (45th minute) and Michael Olise (84th minute) scored. The German national team, which lost 1-2 to Portugal in the semifinals, finished fourth in the final tournament on home soil. Portugal and Spain will battle it out for the title in the fourth edition of the Dutch Cup in Munich at 21.00:XNUMX p.m.

Mbappé gave France a lead against the run of play. With a quick movement, the Real Madrid star striker swatted past his marker Joshua Kimmich and fired from close range. Marc-André ter Stegen got his hand on the ball but couldn't prevent the shot from going in.

France clearly better

Germany had previously dominated the game. A penalty awarded to the German national team following a dive by Karim Adeyemi was corrected by the video assistant referee (33'). VAR also intervened after Deniz Undav appeared to have equalized. Slovakia's Ivan Kruzliak penalized a body check by Niclas Füllkrug on Adrien Rabiot before Germany had won the ball (54').

Germany (in white) struggled again. © ANSA / CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF

Les Bleus subsequently controlled the game and missed counterattack opportunities. Marcus Thuram hit the post (59th minute) and Ter Stegen (70th minute). The German goalkeeper, dissatisfied with his role as a substitute in Barcelona, ​​also distinguished himself against Mbappé (80th, 82nd minute). But the umpteenth counterattack was successful: Olise curled the ball into the empty net after Mbappé's cross. The French, coached by Didier Deschamps, who lost 4-5 to Spain in a spectacular semi-final, recently managed a win against Germany after two defeats.