In a thrilling Nations League encounter, Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni played the full 120 minutes as France edged past Croatia in a tense penalty shootout. The match saw Real Madrid stars battling on both sides, with Luka Modric featuring prominently for Croatia before being substituted in the 83rd minute. Eduardo Camavinga also made an appearance in the latter stages of extra time.
Mbappe had several golden opportunities to score in the second half but struggled to find the back of the net. Either his shots narrowly missed the target, or his final passes to Ousmane Dembele fell short of precision. However, his link-up play with teammates was commendable, particularly a brilliant through ball to Michael Olise, who assisted Dembele for France’s second goal of the night. Mbappe registered eight shots—five off target and three expertly saved by Croatia’s standout goalkeeper, Dominik Livakovic. Despite the challenges, he managed to convert his penalty during the shootout, albeit by the slimmest of margins.
Luka Modric had an uneven night, delivering moments of defensive brilliance while also committing uncharacteristic errors. The Croatian maestro misplaced the ball twice in dangerous positions, though France failed to capitalize on these mistakes. He ended the game with three tackles, one block, and two clearances but was also dribbled past on five occasions. Offensively, he completed 44 passes with an 88% accuracy rate, recorded 66 touches, and delivered one key pass. It was not his finest performance, but he still played a vital role in Croatia’s midfield.
Aurelien Tchouameni was arguably the most involved Real Madrid player on the pitch. The French midfielder had an impressive 122 touches and completed 91 out of 102 passes with an accuracy of 89%. He was active in aerial duels, winning most of them, and took four shots—primarily headers from set pieces. Defensively, Tchouameni had a quieter start as France dominated possession, but he contributed three interceptions, two clearances, and four tackles. His ability to control the tempo of the game was evident, and he also converted his penalty during the shootout.
Eduardo Camavinga entered the match late in extra time, playing a more advanced role close to the opponent’s box. However, his limited time on the field meant he had little influence on the game’s outcome. With the international break coming to an end, all four Real Madrid players will return to club duty unscathed. Mbappe and Tchouameni, having played every minute of France’s matches, will have five days to recover before their next club fixture. This well-deserved rest will be crucial as they prepare to don the iconic white jersey once again.
