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Kylian Mbappe Antoine Griezmann Anthony Taylor Xavi Simons France Netherlands Euro 2024Getty/GOAL
Stephen Darwin

France player ratings vs Netherlands: Get Kylian Mbappe back on that pitch! Adrien Rabiot has a stinker & Antoine Griezmann fluffs his lines as VAR rescues lucky Les Bleus at Euro 2024

The French squandered a number of presentable chances and got away with one as Xavi Simons' strike was harshly ruled out.

Where's Kylian Mbappe when you need him?! Ultimately, mask or no mask, Didier Deschamps was probably right not to risk his superstar forward against the Netherlands, with a 0-0 draw all but ensuring qualification into the knockout rounds. What is perhaps more worrying is France's inability to convert chances without their main man leading the line.

It was the Netherlands who began on the front foot here, forcing the excellent Mike Maignan into a smart stop inside the opening minute. Despite that early scare, France would have the biggest chance of a tepid first half - Adrien Rabiot exchanging passes with Marcus Thuram before he bizarrely attempted to pass to Antoine Griezmann to the side of him, with just Bart Verbruggen to beat, ultimately getting it all wrong.

Despite France taking the game to the Netherlands in the second half, it was the Dutch who found the back of the net against the run of play when Xavi Simons rifled home after 69 minutes, only for VAR to cruelly and controversially cancel out the strike due to Denzel Dumfries apparently obstructing Maignan's view from an offside position.

It was an incredibly harsh decision that robbed the Netherlands of the win. Still, both sides will be happy enough with the point that, barring an extraordinary turn of events, secures them a spot in the last 16.

GOAL rates France's players from Red Bull Arena...

  • William Saliba Denzel Dumfries France Netherlands Euro 2024Getty Images

    Goalkeeper & Defence

    Mike Maignan (7/10):

    He looks unbeatable at times. Two big first-half saves - one inside the first minute - kept the Netherlands out and the one time he was beaten, VAR ruled in his favour. Job done with another clean sheet.

    Jules Kounde (6/10):

    Got forward well to support attacks and dealt comfortably with the dangerous Cody Gakpo. End product could've been better at times.

    Dayot Upamecano (7/10):

    Commanding at the back and looks to be building a really solid partnership with Saliba. There will be tougher assignments as the tournament progresses but he looks up to the challenge.

    William Saliba (8/10):

    Another faultless display. Snuffed out danger superbly well and comfortably dealt with Memphis Depay. He's undoubtedly one of the best centre-backs in the world.

    Theo Hernandez (5/10):

    Was he even playing? A really quiet evening from Hernandez, who was unusually subdued and hardly got forward at all compared to what we're used to seeing from him.

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  • N'Golo Kante France Euro 2024Getty Images

    Midfield

    N'Golo Kante (7/10):

    Another impressive outing from the former Chelsea man who broke up play at the back and also drove forward to support attacks. Incredible to think he's 33, still has so much to offer at the highest level.

    Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

    Neat and tidy in possession and did his job as he sat in front of the back four to allow Kante and Rabiot more freedom to get forward. Almost broke the deadlock with a towering header.

    Adrien Rabiot (4/10):

    What was he doing?! Tried to be way too clever and put the ball on plate for Griezmann when he should've just buried the chance himself. It ruined his evening.

  • Antoine Griezmann France Euro 2024Getty Images

    Attack

    Ousmane Dembele (5/10):

    After a pretty non-existent first half he looked more of a threat in the second period but ultimately wasn't able to produce anything of note. A typically ineffective Dembele performance.

    Antoine Griezmann (6/10):

    Was absolutely everywhere in the first half, linking up play from deep before bursting into the box and getting his shots away. Ultimately, though, he was wasteful in front of goal, scuffing France's biggest chance of the second half straight at Verbruggen.

    Marcus Thuram (6/10):

    A lot of his good work was done with his back to goal and his link-up play was generally impressive. That said, he lashed a couple of presentable chances wide when he should've done better.

  • Didier Deschamps France Euro 2024Getty Images

    Subs & Manager

    Kingsley Coman (6/10):

    Came on for Dembele with 15 minutes remaining but was unable to do anything of note.

    Olivier Giroud (6/10):

    Replaced Thuram for the final knockings but couldn't be France's hero this time.

    Didier Deschamps (6/10):

    France are essentially through to the knockout stages, and Deschamps will have been happy enough that he didn't need to call upon Mbappe, who was an unused sub. Still, he'd have wanted more from his side in an attacking sense, and it does pose question marks as to how they can cope without their talismanic skipper. With the Netherlands there for the taking, he might've changed things earlier, with it not working out with Thuram and Dembele.