France faced off against Germany in the UEFA Nations League third-place game after both teams fell short of reaching the final. With only pride and a podium finish on the line, Kylian Mbappe delivered the opening goal for Les Bleus.
The match took place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, pitting two sides looking to bounce back after tough semifinal losses—Germany fell 2-1 to Portugal, while France came up short in a 5-4 thriller against Spain. Although Die Mannschaft had the clearer chances early on, it was Mbappé who made the difference just before the break.
In the 45th minute, Aurelien Tchouaméni swung in a cross that Germany’s Joshua Kimmich failed to clear with his header. The ball fell to Mbappe, who cut inside and calmly slotted a shot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen to put France ahead just before halftime.
Later in the second half, Mbappe took advantage of a defensive error between Robin Koch and Jonathan Tah to face Mike Maignan one-on-one. Instead of goinf for his brace, Mbappe decided to pass the ball to Michael Olise who sealed the 2-0 in the 84th minute, clinging the third position in the Nations League
Mbappe continues to cement his legacy with France
Mbappe has been one of the most influential figures for France in recent years. He burst onto the international stage at the 2018 World Cup, helping his country lift the trophy—and he’s only added to his legacy since then.
With his goal against Germany, Mbappe reached 50 goals in 90 appearances for Les Bleus. He now sits third on France’s all-time scoring list, trailing only Thierry Henry (51) and Olivier Giroud (57).
Henry, now retired, and Giroud, no longer active in international play, are unlikely to add to their tallies. At just 26 years old, Mbappe is widely expected not only to become France’s all-time leading scorer but to solidify his place as one of the greatest players in the nation’s history.
