Liberte, Egalite, Mbappe. Or maybe it was Liberte, Egalite, Olise. France delivered another mission statement of a performance, another wonderful endorsement of their footballing philosophy taking them closer to a return to New York for a third consecutive World Cup final.
They are making history and making memories. The scorer par excellence and the creator nonpareil brought their artistry to the evisceration of Sweden. One day, perhaps, Graham Potter and his team may be able to cushion their disappointment with the knowledge they witnessed something special from the same pitch.
In Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, France have two candidates for the Golden Ball and if a certain diminutive Argentinian provides competition, this was an illustration of the contrasting strengths of Les Bleus’ devastating double act. Mbappe, with unerring brilliance, got the goals that almost seem a guarantee on such a stage, a third brace of the tournament taking him to nine in his last five World Cup matches.
Denied time and again by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, Olise got everything but the goal; arguably, he was inches from scoring the best of the tournament with an acrobatic volley, but he showed surgical precision with defence-piercing passes. Maybe no one in the global game does it better these days. There was something fitting that France’s third goal came from a glorious Olise pass and a trademark Mbappe finish. It is a formula that could carry them to glory at the MetLife.
For a manager whose tournament has been tarnished by tragedy, a return came with a welcome from the French footballing family. His captain Mbappe greeted him with a hug when he made the breakthrough. His team delivered an exhibition. Deschamps, for so long ******* ed with faint praise, should be missed when he moves on.
They are making history and making memories. The scorer par excellence and the creator nonpareil brought their artistry to the evisceration of Sweden. One day, perhaps, Graham Potter and his team may be able to cushion their disappointment with the knowledge they witnessed something special from the same pitch.
In Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, France have two candidates for the Golden Ball and if a certain diminutive Argentinian provides competition, this was an illustration of the contrasting strengths of Les Bleus’ devastating double act. Mbappe, with unerring brilliance, got the goals that almost seem a guarantee on such a stage, a third brace of the tournament taking him to nine in his last five World Cup matches.
Denied time and again by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, Olise got everything but the goal; arguably, he was inches from scoring the best of the tournament with an acrobatic volley, but he showed surgical precision with defence-piercing passes. Maybe no one in the global game does it better these days. There was something fitting that France’s third goal came from a glorious Olise pass and a trademark Mbappe finish. It is a formula that could carry them to glory at the MetLife.
For a manager whose tournament has been tarnished by tragedy, a return came with a welcome from the French footballing family. His captain Mbappe greeted him with a hug when he made the breakthrough. His team delivered an exhibition. Deschamps, for so long ******* ed with faint praise, should be missed when he moves on.
4 months ago
