This was an ominous start from the World Cup favourites. A spluttering first-half performance gave way to a second period characterised by a combination of physical intensity and technical ability that few club sides, never mind nations, can match. Add a record-breaking double for Kylian Mbappé and some superlative playmaking from Michael Olise, and this was very much a job well done for France.
After Mbappé tucked away a superb Olise pass just after the hour, a match that had started as a keenly fought contest faded to a procession. When the captain crashed his second of the day past Édouard Mendy in a chaotic period of added time, he secured both victory and his place as France’s all-time leading scorer, a 58th goal for his country edging him ahead of Olivier Giroud.
