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France faced an early exit at Euro 2020, as they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Switzerland on penalties, with star player Kylian Mbappe missing the decisive penalty.
Before the tournament kicked off, the 2018 World Champions were given the best odds to lift the continental trophy. Les Blues had made it all the way to the final of the 2016 edition.
Though there were not a lot of positives to take home from a disappointing campaign for a team with probably the strongest squad in the competition, some players did their part and put on impressive performances.
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Karim Benzema was France's top scorer after returning to action with the national team after almost six years. Meanwhile, Paul Pogba impressed with his skills in the middle of the pitch.
Before the players resume duties with their respective clubs, here we take a look at the 5 best players for France at UEFA Euro 2020.
#5 Raphael Varane
France were not particularly solid at the back and gave up a two-goal lead against Switzerland. In such a situation, it was easy to blame the defenders and the goalkeeper.
Though there were no standout performances by any player from France's defensive third, Raphael Varane proved to be a calm presence at the back. He led the team's backline with his no-nonsense defending.
Varane maintained a 94.2% pass completion rate and launched the ball into the final third with five long balls a game. He also won two aerial duels and made 5.3 clearances per 90. Varane has not been at his best for some time now and fans can only hope they get to witness his game-reading skills and clean tackling soon.
#4 N'Golo Kante
After back-to-back match-winning performances in the Champions League for Chelsea, N'Golo Kante was expected to be the player to lead France to European glory.
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The midfield maestro had a relatively quiet outing in the competition for the national team but he did produce a couple of impressive performances. Kante was a one-man army against Germany in France's opening game and did not allow the opposition's creative midfield any breathing space.
Kante was omnipresent in the clash against Hungary as well. By the time France got knocked out, he had averaged 2.5 tackles, 3.5 interceptions and 91.5% pass accuracy a game.
The only reason fans might label him as a flop is because of the 30-year-old's own high standards. However, if one looks at his performances from the layman's point of view, they were more than good enough.
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#3 Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann has been the most reliable player for France in international competitions and ge was able to find the back of the net at Euro 2020 as well. Though his goal against Hungary was the only strike of the campaign, the player impressed with his efforts and hunger in the final third.
No France player had more key passes in the tournament than the Barcelona forward, who averaged 2.5 per 90. Despite being a part of the front three, he averaged two tackles a game and was a menace on and off the ball.
With Benzema acting as an effective target man in the box and Mbappe providing the pace and flair, it was up to Griezmann to chase free balls and win back possession in dangerous positions.
#2 Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema's much-awaited return to the France national team proved to be a joyous one. The Real Madrid striker found the back of the net four times, making him the joint-second top scorer at the tournament.
Benzema failed to perform in his first two games after six years. However, in the following games, he was the decisive player as he scored quick-fire braces against Portugal in the last group stage fixture. He also handed France a two-goal lead in the 59th minute against Switzerland.
Benzema definitely redeemed himself on the pitch for Les Blues and showed them a glimpse of what they were missing for the last six years. Though his goals could not help France move into the last eight at the tournament, on an individual level, Benzema will have been very content.
#1 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba formed a great partnership in the middle of the park for France with N'Golo Kante at Euro 2020. Like the Chelsea man, Pogba too wasn't able to influence every game did impress on a couple of occasions.
Pogba's performance against Switzerland in the Round of 16 was one of the best individual performances of the tournament. It was in that game that he scored his only goal of the tournament. It was an inch-perfect curling effort from the edge of the box that helped France increase their lead.
The Manchester United midfielder displayed his distribution skills and defensive strength during the competition. Had France not gone out in the shootout, he could have been the player to watch in the tournament.
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