Tag: France

PARIS: Kylian Mbappe hit a brace while Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike also scored as France beat Ukraine 4-0 on Thursday at Parc des Princes to secure World Cup 2026 qualification.

Captain Mbappe coolly chipped in from the spot 10 minutes into the second half, and the impressive Olise doubled their lead on 76 minutes.

Mbappe then struck again, and Ekitike swept in a first goal for his country as France got the win they required to clinch their spot at the 2026 finals in North America.

A minute’s silence was impeccably observed ahead of kick-off by the 41,000 spectators as France marked the 10th anniversary of the attacks in and around Paris on Friday, November 13, 2015.

Most of the 130 people killed in the attacks lost their lives at the Bataclan concert hall in the capital.

But one person died near the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where multiple explosions took place as suicide bombers attempted to enter the ground during a friendly between Les Bleus and Germany.

Didier Deschamps was the coach then and remains in charge now, with the approaching World Cup to be his final tournament before stepping down.

With one game still to come in Azerbaijan on Sunday, France have an unassailable six-point lead over both Iceland and Ukraine at the top of European qualifying Group D.

Winners of the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, France maintain their record of having made it to every edition of the tournament since missing out on a place in the United States in 1994.

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While France can now look forward to the draw for the finals, which takes place in Washington, DC, on December 5, Ukraine and Iceland meet each other on Sunday in a shoot-out to decide who continues on into the play-offs next March.

France’s only slip-up in qualifying came in a draw in Iceland last month, although they have rarely found their fluid best during a low-key campaign.

Mbappe and Olise were in fine fettle here at Paris Saint-Germain’s home ground, though, while Bradley Barcola came closest to scoring in the first half with a curling effort from outside the area that was tipped onto the woodwork and behind for a corner.

Real Madrid superstar Mbappe then chipped in from the spot to open the scoring early in the second half after Olise had been fouled inside the area.

Olise, of Bayern Munich, really came into his own after being shifted from the right to a more central role.

It was shortly after setting up Ekitike to hit the post that Olise turned and fired in France’s second goal, and Ukraine caved in towards the end.

Mbappe scored from close range in the 83rd minute after Ekitike had been denied, taking him to 55 goals for his country and to within two of all-time top marksman Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57.

Liverpool’s Ekitike then rounded off a fine move to wrap up the victory with his first senior international goal.

READ: England edge Serbia to maintain perfect World Cup 2026 qualifying run

France captain Kylian Mbappe said Thursday that he is feeling relaxed with his life in Madrid and is in good shape ahead of the Azerbaijan clash in FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Mbappe had received treatment for a “small niggle” in his right ankle, picked up playing for Real Madrid last weekend.

“The coach (Didier Deschamps) wants me to play. I don’t think there will be a major problem,” Mbappe told reporters on Thursday.

Deschamps added: “It’s not prohibitive; it depends more on his sensitivity regarding his ankle.”

Mbappe said he was feeling “more relaxed” in his life, having fully settled into life in the Spanish capital since joining Real from Paris Saint-Germain last season.

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“A career can have some slightly more complicated years, years where you have a little more hardship,” he said.

“But in life, I think I’ve adapted well to Madrid. This isn’t an attack on France, but it’s true that I’m more relaxed there. In Madrid, the lifestyle is different. It’s less hectic than in Paris.

“I’ve managed to score goals. But I think that moreover in my game I’m also in a good mood, even if I think I can still do better,” he further remarked.

Deschamps urged his players not to underestimate Azerbaijan.

“Certainly, they’re not among the best European teams, but they’re coming off a draw against Ukraine,” said Deschamps.

“Seven of their players play for Qarabag,” which has won its first two Champions League pool matches, added the France coach.

Les Bleus are top of their group with two wins from two so far in qualifying. They host Azerbaijan on Friday at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium before travelling to Iceland three days later.

READ: Asian Cup Qualifiers: Otis misses penalty as Pakistan held by Afghanistan

Luca Zidane, the 27-year-old goalkeeper and son of French football great Zinedine Zidane, has switched his sporting nationality from France to Algeria, the Algerian Football Federation said on Friday.

“FIFA officially granted… goalkeeper Luca Zinedine Zidane authorisation to represent the Algerian national team,” FAF said in a statement.

FIFA’s “change of association platform” showed the decision was dated on Friday.

Luca Zidane represented France at youth levels and currently plays for Granada in Spain’s second division.

Since he never made the step up to the French national team, he remained eligible to play for Algeria, the country of his paternal grandparents.

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The North Africans have qualified for the 2025 African Cup of Nations, set to begin on December 21 in Morocco.

They are also leading their World Cup qualifying Group G with 19 points, needing either a win against Somalia or a draw with Uganda next month to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Zidane also played for Real Madrid’s reserve team after working his way up from its youth academy, which he joined in 2004.

He debuted with the main team in their last league game in the 2017-2018 season and was the third-choice goalkeeper when Real won their 13th Champions League title in 2018.

Although Zinedine Zidane was born in Marseille, his family was originally from a small village in Bejaia, some 250 kilometres east of Algiers.

READ: Germany World Cup winner Jerome Boateng announces retirement

Former Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane is reportedly poised to take charge of the France national team next year, with Thierry Henry all but confirming the move during a recent media interaction.

Zidane, widely regarded as one of the most successful managers of his era, has long been linked with the France job as a successor to Didier Deschamps.

While Henry initially kept his cards close to his chest when asked about the next coach, his words left little room for doubt.

“We all know who the new manager will be. You know it, I know it, and I wish him all the best,” Henry remarked, strongly hinting at Zidane’s appointment.

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The three-time Champions League-winning head coach has remained out of management since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, but has never hidden his ambition to lead the France national team.

According to reports in L’Équipe, Zidane has already begun preparations for the role, including holding talks with former France boss Laurent Blanc to gain insights into the challenges of the job.

He is also said to be closely monitoring Ligue 1 and European fixtures as part of his groundwork ahead of what could be his most anticipated coaching role yet.

READ: South Africa beat England by 14 runs in rain-marred T20I

France coach Didier Deschamps calmed suggestions of a rift between the national team and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after the European champions were left fuming after Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue picked up injuries on international duty.

Dembele, PSG’s leading scorer last season and one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, has been ruled out for between six and eight weeks after coming off hurt in France’s 2-0 win over Ukraine in World Cup qualifying on Friday.

Doue was injured in the same game and is expected to be sidelined for a month, dealing a major blow to PSG as they prepare to begin their defence of the Champions League title.

The club wrote to the French Football Federation (FFF) on Sunday, calling for a “more transparent and collaborative coordination protocol to be put in place between clubs and national teams”.

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PSG, whose squad had a significantly shortened close-season break after going all the way to the final of the Club World Cup in July, said they had provided the FFF with “concrete” medical information about how much workload their players could withstand.

They said that their recommendations were ignored.

Deschamps insisted that the French team’s medical staff “did things in a very professional and progressive way, as we do with all the players, taking into account how each player feels”.

“Even if they are eager to play, that feeling is always a very important element for us,” added the French coach, who was speaking before Les Bleus host Iceland at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium on Tuesday.

“PSG are not our adversary, and never have been. The clubs never have been, even if our interests go in different directions, and that is normal.

“I have been on the other side of the barrier. Our only opponent is Iceland,” Deschamps said, insisting that there are always exchanges between his team and the clubs.

He used the examples of Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Arsenal defender William Saliba, who picked up injuries and were told they would not need to come to the French team’s training base for further assessment despite having being called up.

“I am not going to make them come when we are perfectly aware it’s not possible, because our doctor was sent the images from their scans,” said the coach.

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The French women’s team have been barred from the boxing world championships because the results of their gender tests were not delivered on time, the French Federation (FFBoxe) said Thursday.

World Boxing said last month that women wanting to compete in the event in Liverpool that starts on Thursday would have to undergo mandatory genetic sex testing under its new policy.

Such tests have been banned in France since a law was passed in 1994, except under strict conditions, so the French federation had to wait till they reached England in order to proceed with them.

The five-member team underwent testing in a World Boxing-accredited laboratory with the understanding, FFBoxe said, the results would be available before the deadline.

World Boxing, in a statement sent to AFP, laid the blame firmly at the door of the respective national federations.

“Since World Boxing first announced… its intention to introduce mandatory sex testing to determine the chromosomal sex of a male or female at birth, the organisation has made it clear that testing will be the responsibility of National Federations (NFs),” read the statement.

“They have the closest links and most access to their boxers and are best placed to manage the testing process.

“They also oversee the entry process for boxers, so they know which boxers need to be tested and when.

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“It is very disappointing for the boxers that some National Federations have not been able to complete this process in time which means that some athletes have not made it through the sports entry process for the World Boxing Championships.”

French Sports Minister Marie Barsacq slammed the decision as “inadmissible” and FFBoxe were left seething over the decision.

“It is with stupefaction and indignation that the French team learned on Wednesday evening the French women’s boxing team would not be able to compete in the first world championships organised by World Boxing,” FFBoxe said in a statement.

“Despite guarantees given to us by World Boxing, the laboratory which they recommended to us was not up to the task of delivering the results on time.

“As a result our athletes as well as those from other countries have been caught in this trap and excluded.”

Maelys Richol, one of the five French boxers affected, said she felt “frustration, anger and disappointment”.

Under World Boxing’s policy, fighters over 18 who want to participate in their competitions need to take a PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, genetic test.

“World Boxing’s policy on gender eligibility, which includes mandatory sex testing, is designed to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field,” they said in Thursday’s statement.

Boxing has been rocked by organisational problems in recent years.

World Boxing have been mandated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with organising the sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In late May, World Boxing announced they were introducing mandatory gender testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wanting to take part in its competitions.

It has become a major issue in boxing since the Paris Olympics last year when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting were at the centre of a gender row.

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Christopher Nkunku signed for AC Milan from Chelsea on Saturday, the Serie A giants announced on Saturday, as the France attacker attempts to revive his career ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

“AC Milan is delighted to announce the permanent signing of Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea FC. The French forward has signed a contract with the Club until 30 June 2030,” said Milan in a statement.

Italian media report that Milan agreed a fee of 37 million euros ($43.3 million), which could rise to 42 million euros for the forward, who failed to establish himself at Chelsea after moving to the World Club Cup champions in 2023.

Nkunku scored 18 times in 62 matches in all competitions for Chelsea, who brought in the 27-year-old after he impressed at German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

He struggled with injuries during his first season in England and found himself behind Nicolas Jackson in the pecking order, being picked by coach Enzo Maresca largely for cup competitions.

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Christopher Nkunku moves to AC Milan with the World Cup looming on the horizon and is unsure of a place in the France squad for the finals being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

He was not selected by long-time coach Didier Deschamps for the Nations League quarter-final against Croatia, nor for the final four of the competition.

His one goal in 14 caps for Les Bleus came against Israel in the Nations League in October last year.

Milan, coached by Massimiliano Allegri, have no European football this season after a disastrous eighth-place finish last term, and have three points from their opening two fixtures of the campaign after beating Lecce 2-0 on Friday.

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KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakistan team defeated France on a penalty shootout in the semi-final of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup here at the National Stadium on Friday.

The thrilling match ended in a 3-2 victory for the Green Shirts, as France missed out on three chances to score in the shootout.

For Pakistan, Rana Waheed Ashraf, Hannan Shahid and Afraz scored goals to clinch a memorable win.

In the first quarter of the match, neither team managed to score a goal, despite putting in a strong effort to get the ball into the net. France had their chances, with numerous penalty corners in the beginning and towards the end of the quarter.

 

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The second quarter featured a similar situation with France and Pakistan looking to open their account in the all-important semi-final. However, France drew the first blood with Smenjaud Xavier giving his team the lead, deflecting the ball into the post.

As France entered the third quarter, the hopes for the Green Shirts qualifying looked grim. Charlet Victor pierced the nets with a flick, giving the French team a significant lead.

However, Afraz gave Pakistan a sigh of relief after scoring the first goal. In the crucial last minutes of the quarter, the Green Shirts scored back-to-back goals, taking the lead with a score of  3-2. Sufyan Khan and Hammadudin Muhammad both scored two crucial goals in the span of a minute.

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For the unversed, the Pakistan hockey team qualified for the semi-finals of the FIH Nations Hockey Cup due to a superior goal difference compared to the host nation, Malaysia.

Malaysia secured a 2-1 victory over Japan on Wednesday; however, they were eliminated because Pakistan scored nine goals in their three matches, while Malaysia scored eight.

On the same day, the New Zealand hockey team came from behind in a thrilling encounter to defeat Pakistan 4-3, sealing a semi-final spot.

Pakistan held a 3-1 lead for most of the third quarter, but New Zealand’s Scott Cosslett scored two goals to level the match.

The tension escalated in the final quarter as both teams aimed to secure a victory. In a decisive moment, Scott Cosslett found the back of the net again, delivering a thrilling win for New Zealand.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan began their Nations Hockey Cup campaign with a 3-3 draw against Malaysia, followed by a convincing victory over Japan.

READ: Pakistan hockey captain voices frustration amid allowance delay during Nations Cup

Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal.

Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defence to ribbons.

Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champions.

Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal.

France’s three late goals — a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani — were not enough.

Lamine Yamal, still just 17, said Spain “deserved to win.”

“It was a great game — at the end it was a little too close, but we played very well,” he added.

Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face hosts Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal earlier in the day.

A smiling goalscorer Merino told DAZN: “It was a crazy game. Not the best game for the coaches — nobody wants to concede so many goals — but an amazing game for the fans.

“We’re going to remember this one for a long time.”

Returning to Germany, where they won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seem an even more complete team, despite their late fadeout.

France were more dangerous in the opening stages, with Didier Deschamps electing to channel his attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe.

Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph, created an early chance for Mbappe, but the Real Madrid superstar wasted it, electing to pass rather than shoot when one-on-one with the ‘keeper.

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Minutes later, Spain escaped again as Theo Hernandez’s long-range effort shaved the top of the crossbar.

Spain made France pay soon after, when Williams and Oyarzabal, La Roja’s two goalscorers in the Euro 2024 final, linked up with 22 minutes played.

After a tear down the right, Lamine Yamal threaded it to Oyarzabal, who held off three defenders with his back to goal before finding Williams, who rifled his shot into the top of the net.

Spain grabbed full hold of the match just three minutes later when Oyarzabal dinked the French defence, allowing Merino to collect and hammer past an off-balance Maignan.

France had the better chances later in the half, with Dembele finding space in the box three times, only to blast straight at a grateful Unai Simón.

Just before half-time, the narrowest of offsides robbed Spain of what would have been an incredible third.

In a clearly rehearsed free-kick play, Yamal found Martin Zubimendi behind the lines, who cut it back for Huijsen.

The second half played out like the first, with France missing two big chances before Spain again scored a quick-fire double.

With 54 minutes played, Lamine Yamal won and converted a penalty, taking the ball from Williams before calmly slotting home.

France were reeling, but Spain’s starlets had no sympathy, Williams setting up Pedri for a fourth just one minute later.

Mbappe won and converted a penalty with 59 minutes played, but Yamal stepped up again to snuff out French hopes of an unlikely comeback, scoring Spain’s fifth with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Spain made four changes as their thoughts turned to Sunday, allowing France to score two late consolation goals.

Substitute Cherki scored a long-range effort and then forced Spain into conceding an own goal through Daniel Vivian.

Kolo Muani’s goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to one, but France had left their comeback too late, as Spain held on.

READ: Mike Hesson sets sights on long-term goals as Pakistan’s head coach

Thierry Henry has decided to step down from his role as coach of the France under-21 football team, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced Monday.

Former France international Henry made the decision after guiding the under-23 side to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The all-time leading goalscorer for Premier League giants Arsenal took over as coach of the French youth side last summer and was under contract until June 2025 but decided to step away for “personal reasons”, according to the FFF.

Henry oversaw Les Bleuets’ first run to the final of an Olympic men’s tournament after winning gold in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

His young side eventually went down 5-3 after extra time against Spain to end a promising run that had started inauspiciously after Henry was obliged to make several changes to his squad pre-tournament due to the refusal of certain clubs to release their players for the Games.

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“I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo for giving me this incredible opportunity,” said Henry, 47, in an FFF statement.

“Winning an Olympic silver medal for my country will remain one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m incredibly grateful to the federation, the players, the staff and the fans for giving me this magical experience.”

Federation boss Diallo thanked the 1998 World Cup winner for “all the work he accomplished as coach of the Espoirs (under-21s) and Olympic sides”.

“We obviously regret this decision, as Thierry Henry was able to achieve the objectives set for him by winning a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris,” he added.

“Having followed him throughout this campaign, I witnessed first-hand his great professionalism, his rigour and his love for the blue jersey.”

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