Deschamps Says Benching Mbappe Was a 'Wise Decision'
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| Kylian Mbappe |
Mbappe watched from the sidelines as Les Bleus struggled with wasteful finishing, failing to secure their place in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a game to spare. Deschamps admitted that his decision might have been different for a knockout match but remains optimistic that Mbappe will return for Tuesday's final group game against Poland.
"With each day, he's getting better, and if it had been a decisive game this evening, I would have thought twice about him playing or not," Deschamps explained. "We are getting to a point that is better for him. After what happened, I thought the wiser decision was to keep him on the bench."
Antoine Griezmann missed France's best opportunities as the team struggled to find the net, scoring only one own goal in their first two matches in Germany. Despite this, they remain well-positioned for the next round with four points from their opening two games.
Aurelien Tchouameni replaced Mbappe in the only change from Monday's 1-0 win over Austria, as Deschamps sought the security of an extra midfielder. However, his only regret was not capitalizing on their scoring chances. "I always try to make the right choice to ensure the most balance in the team," Deschamps added. "The only regret I have is that we weren't efficient enough. We had five or six chances to score."
The Netherlands did manage to put the ball in the net late in the game, but Xavi Simons' goal was controversially ruled out after a lengthy VAR check. Denzel Dumfries was deemed to be interfering with goalkeeper Mike Maignan's ability to stop the shot from an offside position. Dutch boss Ronald Koeman argued that the goal should have stood, but Deschamps disagreed. "I was taken aback by how long it took because when I saw the screen, it was a no-brainer," he said.
As France looks ahead to their final group game against Poland, Deschamps remains hopeful that Mbappe's return will bolster their chances of advancing in the tournament.
