JazzG Watching the match from a good vantage point really shows how conservative tactically the French team was setup. Rabiot as the base, Touchameni and Kante just as 8s to hustle and press the Spanish midfielders. Sacrificed Griezmann as a 10 and put 3 speedsters up front just for counter attacks.
Never agreed that only defensive football can succeed in internationals. Spanish women who won the world cup and always Spanish team showed that you can still be positive and achieve results. They literally killed the game in the 2nd half (ignoring the play acting) by just being calm in possession and slowing the tempo down with passes after passes. Single pivot with 2 very athletic attacking mids are the way to go. If England can play Wharton at the base with Bellingham/Foden and Rice as 8s they will be superb.
I'm calling it but Mbappe is not as good as Henry. Don't have the same footballing intelligence as Titi. When the going gets tough he always dribbles into dead end and tries to do too much, as shown many times in UCL with PSG. Watching him real life convinced me even further. Lacks the swag and top top vision like Henry. Navas outpacing Mbappe in the first half was funny as hell.
Oh and Rodri is really superb. The way he scans and is always one step ahead is amazing. Lamine Yamal though... take a bow. 16 years old ffs and already better than his opposite winger.