France secured third place in the UEFA Nations League with a 2-0 victory over Germany in Stuttgart on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring his 50th international goal. In a match where Germany dominated for stretches, France capitalized on their opportunities, displaying clinical finishing and solid defense.
The first half saw Germany creating numerous chances, with Mike Maignan, the French goalkeeper, proving to be a formidable obstacle. Maignan made several outstanding saves, denying the hosts an early lead. Germany's Nick Woltemade and Karim Adeyemi were particularly active, forcing Maignan into action. Lucas Digne also made a crucial block, heading a Niclas Fullkrug effort off the line. Despite Germany's early pressure, France weathered the storm and began to find their footing.
Around the half-hour mark, a controversial moment occurred when Adeyemi went down in the box after a collision with Maignan and Loic Bade. The referee initially awarded a penalty to Germany, but after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, and Adeyemi was booked for diving. Germany's frustration grew as Florian Wirtz saw his shot strike the post, adding to their list of missed opportunities. Just before halftime, France took the lead against the run of play. Aurelien Tchouameni's pass found Kylian Mbappe, who skillfully cut inside Joshua Kimmich and curled a right-footed shot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, marking his 50th goal for France.
The second half began with Mbappe nearly doubling France's lead, but his shot hit the side netting. Germany continued to press, and in the 52nd minute, Deniz Undav, who had come on as a substitute, thought he had equalized. However, VAR intervened again, disallowing the goal due to a foul by Niclas Fullkrug on Adrien Rabiot in the build-up. France then had chances to extend their lead, with Marcus Thuram hitting the post.
In the 84th minute, Mbappe turned provider, capitalizing on a defensive error by the German defense. He squared the ball to Michael Olise, who tapped it into an empty net, sealing the victory for France. The goal highlighted France's efficiency on the counterattack and their ability to punish Germany's mistakes.
France's coach, Didier Deschamps, had expressed a lack of enthusiasm for the third-place match, but his team showed resilience and determination. The win provided a measure of consolation after their semi-final defeat to Spain. For Germany, the loss meant they have now gone without a win in their last three matches. Coach Julian Nagelsmann had aimed for his team to be more aggressive and composed, but despite creating numerous opportunities, they lacked the clinical edge needed to convert them into goals.
The match also saw Rayan Cherki make his first start for France. With this win, France added a bronze medal to their previous Nations League gold.
