It was as a gallant but defeated Austria pressed that a certain push-and-pull became all the clearer with this French team. They are a side that obstinately waits for the opposition, as everyone watching on waits for their great star to do something.
That sense has only been amplified in the last week, with how Kylian Mbappe made himself the main headline of Euro 2024 as well as the main event in how he spoke out about the “importance” of the French elections. It wasn’t quite a signature performance to follow but it did have a significant impact.
