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France head coach Didier Deschamps has lauded Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Kylian Mbappe for his display in his country's 2022 FIFA World Cup opener.
Mbappe scored his side's third goal via a header in their 4-1 thrashing of Australia in a Group D clash on Tuesday (November 22). He then assisted Les Bleus' final goal, scored by Olivier Giroud, with both contributions coming in the second half.
With Karim Benzema missing through injury, many France fans expected the PSG forward to lead their attack and he duly delivered against the Kangaroos.
Speaking after the game, Deschamps praised him, saying (as quoted by PSG Talk):
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“Kylian was already one of the best strikers in the world. He is in full confidence. He gives off a lot of strength, serenity and I’ve been talking to him for a while.”
The 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning coach added:
“I knew he would be ready because this is his competition. … Scoring goals with his head, if he adds that on top of it, all the better. He is part of a team and that is important even if he has the ability to make differences. Having Kylian at this level is very important for my team.”
The goal against Australia was Mbappe's fifth in eight FIFA World Cup matches to go with two assists as well.
The Frenchman notably entered the tournament in Qatar in fantastic form. He has recorded a superb 19 goals and five assists in 20 appearances across all competitions for PSG in the first half of the 2022-23 club season.
Kylian Mbappe and France face Denmark in their next 2022 FIFA World Cup encounter
The win over Australia ensured that France took top spot in Group D at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Denmark and Tunisia, the other two teams in the group, settled for a point apiece after playing out a goalless stalemate earlier on Tuesday.
Next up, Les Bleus will meet the Danes on November 26. Didier Deschamps' men notably lost twice to their upcoming opponents earlier this year, with both defeats coming in the UEFA Nations League.
Their first meeting was in June 2022. Karim Benzema put his team ahead in the first half, but Andreas Cornelius' second-half brace, including an 88th-minute winner, gave Denmark a massive 2-1 win.
Their second encounter took place in September. This time, the Danes were on top from the start, scoring twice in the first half through Kasper Dolberg and Andreas Skov Olsen.
They then warded off a France front-line of Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann to win the game 2-0.
