Mbappe leads France in home win
Any lingering doubts that Kylian Mbappe is French soccer’s most valuable jewel were erased Sunday as the teenage striker celebrated the world champions’ return home with a superb display —and a goal— in a 2-1 win over the Netherlands.
Back to its home ground at the Stade de France for the first time since winning the World Cup in July, France was treated to an ecstatic welcome by nearly 80,000 fans, and 19-year-old Mbappe was the best player in the UEFA Nations League game.
The PSG striker, who grew up in the Paris suburbs, exposed Dutch defenders from the start with his fast pace and control. He almost put France ahead in the first minute, broke the deadlock in the 14th and created havoc near and inside the Dutch box throughout the game with the trademark dribbles that helped him become one of the stars of the World Cup in Russia.
Mbappe, who was the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pele in 1958, netted his ninth goal for France.
Ryan Babel scored a second-half equalizer as France struggled physically in the closing stages, but Olivier Giroud gave France a deserved win with 15 minutes left with a stunning left-foot volley that ended a 10-match personal goal drought. It was Giroud’s 32nd international goal, a tally that makes him France’s outright fourth highest-scoring player ahead of Zinedine Zidane.
The celebration party started well before kickoff with video footage depicting fans celebrating across the country on July 15 when France defeated Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final. The highlights of France’s campaign were then played on big screens, with every French goal igniting big roars in the stands.
The party continued after the match with a sound and light show consisting of the France players introduced one-by-one before a lap of honor with the World Cup trophy.