News
France Player Ratings Vs Iceland: No Kylian Mbappe, No Party As Iceland Stun Les Bleus In Reykjavik
When France Take To The Pitch, You Expect Fireworks — But This Time In Reykjavik, It Felt More Like A Flickering Candle. A Brave Icelandic Team Stood Tall And Denied Didier Deschamps’ Men A Win, Forcing A Breathless 2-2 Draw That Left Fans Gripping Their Seats.
The Big Talking Point? No Kylian Mbappe, No Party.
Without Their Real Madrid Superstar, France Looked Ordinary — Disjointed, Wasteful, And At Times, Flat-Footed. Iceland, On The Other Hand, Played Like A Team With Nothing To Lose And Everything To Prove.
A Game Of Missed Chances And Nervous Defending
Christopher Nkunku Could Have Put France Ahead Within Minutes But Was Denied By A Brilliant Save. Iceland Then Took Advantage Of France’s Defensive Confusion — A Miscontrolled Ball By Eduardo Camavinga Let Victor Palsson Sneak In To Score, Sending The Home Crowd Wild.
Nkunku Eventually Redeemed Himself With A Gorgeous Equalizer, Cutting In From The Left And Curling Into The Bottom Corner. When Jean-Philippe Mateta Scored His First France Goal Minutes Later, It Looked Like Les Bleus Were Finally In Control.
But Iceland Had Other Plans. Albert Gudmundsson Split The Defense With A Beautiful Pass To Kristian Hlynsson, Who Blasted The Ball Into The Roof Of The Net. 2-2. Chaos. Heartbeats Racing.
Player Ratings – Who Shined, Who Struggled?
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Mike Maignan (4/10): Nervous Night Between The Sticks. Could Have Done More For Both Goals.
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William Saliba (5/10): Composed In The League, Shaky In Reykjavik.
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Eduardo Camavinga (5/10): Gifted Iceland Their Opener. Brilliant On The Ball, But Costly Error.
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Michael Olise (7/10): France’s Brightest Spark. Created Chances, Full Of Intent.
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Christopher Nkunku (7/10): Missed Sitters But Scored A Beauty. France’s Main Threat.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta (6/10): Missed A Few But Took His Goal Well.
What This Means For France
This Draw Leaves France Needing To Regroup Fast. The Energy Mbappe Brings Was Clearly Missing, And Deschamps Has Some Thinking To Do Before The Next Qualifier.
Still, Credit To Iceland — They Played With Heart, Organization, And Courage, Showing That Even Giants Can Stumble On Cold Northern Nights.
At Sports Market International, We Celebrate The Drama, Emotion, And Unpredictability Of The Game. Whether It’s World Cup Qualifiers, Club Battles, Or Transfer Buzz, We Bring You The Best Sport Blog Content To Keep You In The Game.
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**Title:** Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic **Meta Description:** Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for a second spell after Zlatko Dalic stepped down following the 2026 World Cup. **Slug:** croatia-confirm-slaven-bilic-return-head-coach **Alt Image Text:** Slaven Bilic during his unveiling as Croatia national team head coach — # Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic Croatia have officially confirmed the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, with the former West Ham United manager replacing Zlatko Dalic following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bilic returns to the national team after more than a decade away, ending a two-year absence from management as he begins a second spell in charge of his country. ## Bilic begins a second spell with Croatia The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced Bilic’s appointment after the Executive Committee unanimously approved the recommendation of federation president Marijan Kustic. Bilic previously managed Croatia between 2006 and 2012, guiding the national team through two European Championships before embarking on a successful club coaching career that included spells with West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Besiktas and Al-Ittihad. The federation believes his experience and deep understanding of Croatian football make him the ideal candidate to lead the next generation. ## Huge task replacing Zlatko Dalic Bilic succeeds one of the most successful managers in Croatia’s history. Dalic stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a remarkable tenure that included a World Cup final, a World Cup semi-final and several memorable tournament campaigns. Federation president Marijan Kustic acknowledged the size of the challenge but expressed complete confidence in Bilic. > “I would like to once again thank Zlatko for the exceptional results he achieved during his tenure. It is not easy to follow in his footsteps, but we are convinced Slaven is the right person for this role.” Kustic added that Bilic’s international pedigree and extensive coaching experience were decisive factors behind the appointment. ## Bilic honoured to return Bilic described his return as the greatest honour of his coaching career and admitted he understands the expectations that come with leading one of international football’s most consistent tournament teams. > “I would like to thank President Kustic and the Federation’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in allowing me to lead the Croatian national team once again — the greatest honour for any Croatian coach.” The 57-year-old also praised the standards established under Dalic while insisting he is ready for the responsibility. > “I am fully aware of the high expectations that follow such a remarkable period under Zlatko Dalic, but anyone who takes charge of Croatia must be prepared for that because we are a football nation that lives and breathes its national team.” ## A new chapter begins Bilic now faces the task of building on Dalic’s legacy while preparing Croatia for the next international cycle. With a blend of experienced stars and emerging young talent at his disposal, Croatia will hope their returning manager can guide them to another successful era on the international stage.
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