France coach Didier Deschamps addressed the difficulties that Kylian Mbappé faced while wearing a mask to protect his broken nose during the 1-1 draw with Poland at the European Championship. Mbappé, who scored a second-half penalty in the game, returned to France’s starting lineup after suffering the injury in a previous match. Deschamps mentioned that the mask affected Mbappé’s peripheral vision and that sweating caused discomfort by making the mask stick to his face.
Despite the challenges posed by the mask, Deschamps was satisfied with Mbappé’s performance and decision to play him for the entire game. Mbappé displayed his hunger to play by scoring the penalty goal, but it wasn’t enough to secure a victory for France. The draw against Poland placed France as runners-up to Austria in their group, leading to a tough draw facing heavyweights like Portugal, Germany, and Spain in the next round.
The match against Poland highlighted France’s struggle to score open-play goals during the Euro 2024 tournament. Despite advancing to the next round, France’s performance has not been convincing, with Mbappé being the only goal scorer so far. Deschamps acknowledged the need for improvement in finishing and expressed hope in rediscovering their impressive scoring form from the qualifying matches.
Deschamps remains positive about France’s prospects in the tournament but acknowledges the need to be more clinical in front of goal. He emphasized the importance of converting chances into goals and expressed optimism about their potential to enhance their goal-scoring ability. The team’s goal average has not been up to their usual standard in the tournament, prompting Deschamps to seek more efficiency in the attacking third.
Mbappé’s struggles with the mask, France’s scoring issues, and Deschamps’ pursuit of improvement highlight the challenges faced by the French national team at the European Championship. While the team has advanced to the next round, there is a clear need to elevate their performance to compete with the top teams in the tournament. The upcoming matches will be a test of France’s ability to overcome obstacles and showcase their true potential on the field.
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