Kylian Mbappe had criticised French stars to thank for helping World Cup turnaround

It may be his image which adorns one of the skyscrapers down on the Corniche, but France are not just all about Kylian Mbappe.

We know that, obviously, we are talking about the world champions here, and however good the then 19-year-old Mbappe was back in Russia in 2018 - those incredible few minutes against Argentina, and that goal in the final against Croatia - this was not a one-man team.

Mbappe would also be the first to point to Olivier Giroud as a crucial player both for him and the French team as a whole, with the now 36-year-old operating in a non-scoring hold-up role four-and-a-half years ago but back in front of the net again here, scoring for France as he often does so impressively.

Dembele impressed for the French (Getty Images)

Ousmane Dembele had looked to be a player who was wasting his career away, with a bad attitude blamed for issues at Barcelona which often included tardiness, the sort of issues which made his potential departure from the club on a free transfer almost daily news.

When France needed him here though he was right on time, pinning back an Australian outfit who probably hadn't prepared for what to do in the unlikely event of taking the lead.

Then with the space that Dembele helped to create, Adrien Rabiot came to the party.

The Juventus man is another who has polarised opinion, with a seemingly never-ending obsession with the transfer rumour mill not doing much to rid him of the tag of a player who loves the limelight more than the work.

Kylian Mbappe was the life and soul of France in the second half (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)

He's available on a free again in the summer by the way, and any suitors would surely have been impressed with the header that made it 1-1 before his superb surge into space and punishment of a tense Australia led to him teeing up Olivier Giroud for France's second.

Then it was Mbappe's turn to take over.

First came the header from Dembele's cross to make it 3-1, before his dazzling skill down the left eventually led to yet another goal for Giroud that right man in the right place.

France could well be in the right place again at this World Cup, and if they do they a couple of written off players could have a huge say.