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Another comeback from France saw them beat Spain at the San Siro to be crowned champions in the second edition of the UEFA Nations League. Goals from Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe helped world champions France get the better of a determined Spanish side and taste glory in the Nations League.
The final had no shortage of drama and was an action-packed encounter between the two best teams in the tournament. While the first half of the match was more of a tactical battle, both Spain and France came into their rhythm in the second half to produce an entertaining end to the tournament.
After France's Theo Hernandez was denied from the crossbar, in-form Mikel Oyarzabal gave Spain the lead in the 64th minute. Two minutes later, Karim Benzema marked a great move with a sensational strike for the equalizer. Kylian Mbappe left it late but scored in the 80th minute to help France seal the tie, leaving Spain with little chance of a comeback.
Les Bleus had to produce their best performance to win their maiden UEFA Nations League trophy. Without further ado, let us take a look at the
Five best performers for France against Spain in the UEFA Nations League final
#5 Presnel Kimpembe
Despite stars like Raphael Varane and Jules Kounde present in the French defense, it was Presnel Kimpembe who impressed the most in the final. The Paris Saint-Germain centre-back stood out with his no-nonsense defending and happily did the dirty work for France by breaking up Spain's attacks throughout the game.
Kimpembe's strong aerial presence and his crunching tackles limited Spain's possession-based style to a minimum in the final third. The 26-year old did not allow any space for Spain to utilize and helped France maintain their defensive shape in the final.
Kimpembe might not be a superstar in the French squad, but his mature display once again justified his importance for France.
#4 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe was quiet initially in the match as he was tightly marked by Eric Garcia. Mbappe's pace was unable to make any difference, with Garcia keeping a close eye on his mark in the first half. But it was hard to keep someone like Mbappe quiet for long enough and the French superstar eventually had his say, deciding the match for France.
First, Mbappe's devastating partnership with Benzema bore fruit as the 22-year old assisted the goal for Benzema's equalizer. In the 80th minute, Mbappe latched on to a pass, popped up again with his extra-terrestrial pace and calmly put the ball into the net for the winner in the UEFA Nations League final.
#3 Theo Hernandez
France's Theo Hernandez seems to be in the form of his life at the moment and his powerful display against Spain is another proof of his strength. After scoring the winner for France against Belgium in the semi-final, the left wing-back assisted the winner against Spain in the Nations League final.
Hernandez could have also scored in the final had the crossbar not denied his majestic strike. The Milan left-back kept pushing Spain's defensive lines with his presence on the flanks. Hernandez's sublime pass found Kylian Mbappe, who subsequently scored the winner for France.
Theo Hernandez also provides stability to a French side that fields a three-man defensive system. The left wing-back bombarded the flanks with his runs and kept the opposition in check with his aggression, which was once again evident against Spain.
#2 Paul Pogba
Up against the likes of Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Rodri, Paul Pogba kept his head to win the midfield battle in the final. The Spaniards dominated possession and troubled France's midfield with their passing but Pogba put up another mature display.
The Manchester United star kept battling with Sergio Busquets, with his passes being the only way forward for France. Whenever Pogba got the ball, he ensured a decent attacking move for the winners. Pogba's creativity with his movements and passes made life difficult for the Spanish midfielders, proving why he is so important to the team.
It was an all-round performance for the 28-year old, who made sure France won the most vital battle on the pitch.
#1 Karim Benzema
One of the best in business at the moment, Karim Benzema remains unstoppable. The forward's dream run continued as he played a decisive role for France in their victory. After initializing the comeback against Belgium in the semi-finals, Benzema once again sparked France back to life with his equalizer against Spain.
The Real Madrid star picked up a pass from Mbappe and served up a sensational finish after cutting in from the left. From a wide angle and amongst a flurry of Spanish defenders, a goal seemed difficult. Benzema, however, made it look easy, with his shot finding the far top corner of the net, away from the grasp of Unai Simon.
Since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, Benzema has scored 12 goals for his club and country. The 33-year old demonstrated his caliber once again and deservingly won the Man of the Match award in the UEFA Nations League final.
