France begin Mbappe era by thrashing Netherlands 4-0

 New France captain Kylian Mbappe lived up to expectations with two goals in a 4-0 win over the Netherlands as the Blues kicked off their Group B Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a relentless style friday.

Mbappe, named captain after goalkeeper Hugo Lloris ended his career with the national team in January, allowed Antoine Griezmann to score for the opener after Dayot Upamecano doubled the score with a first-half goal. time A third goal before equalizing in front of an ecstatic crowd.

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With Lloris and influential centre-back Raphael Varane now out of the international arena, France will be looking to capitalize on their last World Cup final since losing to impressed Argentina in their opener since December, under their new coach, against a virus-ravaged Netherlands.

The result was a slap in the face for Ronald Koeman who took charge of his first game in charge of Louis van Gaal after reaching the Qatar World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 2018-20.

"Fantastic," said Mbappe. "We didn't want to concede so everyone was happy. Mike didn't like to concede and it was his first clean sheet as a number one.

"We are all behind him.

We were ready and said we couldn't let the fans down in the first game after the World Cup.

France lead Greece in Group B, who beat Gibraltar 3-0. Didier Deschamps will face Ireland in Dublin next Monday, while the Netherlands host Gibraltar

Kylian Mbappe as French captain Marcel ter Bals/BSR Agency/Getty Images first game

The Netherlands, who lost five players after their side's crushing defeat to the virus, got off to a bad start with the Blues breaking the deadlock after two minutes and Griezmann clearing Mba into the box. move.

The visiting defense then treated Griezmann's free-kick like a dog meal, with Upamecano heading home to double the advantage six minutes later.

"If you're down 2-0 after seven minutes, obviously it's a hellish game," said Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk.

"We started badly and then you fall behind...

Then they play a fairly simple game with their attributes. We'll have to watch that, it's hard to analyze it so quickly, but it's a shame to be down 2-0 after seven minutes.

Mbappe made it 3-0 after 22 minutes, rolling the ball from close range. Clinically after the end of Aurélien Tchouameni.

Holland briefly threatened at half-time but Memphis De Pey widened slightly as he sent striker Wout Weghorst past midfielder Kenneth Taylor in the 33rd minute

France closed again, the Ibrahim Konaté's header was deflected by Jasper nine minutes before half-time.

The Netherlands had a chance early in the second half with Depay's free-kick, but they got as close as they could, with Upamecano and Konate lined up for France in central defence.

Randal Kolo Muani started as a lone striker in the French 4-3-3 formation and did well before being replaced by Olivier Giroud in the 76th minute.

France were comfortable heading into Dublin but Mbappe added salt to the Netherlands' injuries by diving into the box before scoring a fourth goal and the 38th in 67 games. A powerful center.

Mike Maignan, the number one keeper since Lloris' retirement, then saved Depay's penalty in stoppage time, leaving fans wondering what would have happened if he had stood between the posts in the final of the World Cup final - He missed a match. Hurt.