France booked their ticket to the upcoming World Cup with a commanding 4–0 win over Ukraine, powered by a vintage Kylian Mbappé performance. The Real Madrid superstar delivered two goals and one assist, ran Ukraine’s backline ragged, and could easily have walked away with a hat-trick.
This was Mbappé at his devastating, all-action best: 66 touches, 10 shots (4 on target), 3 key passes, 2 completed dribbles, constant movement, and pure inevitability.
A Cool Panenka to Open the Scoring (France 1–0 Ukraine)
France’s breakthrough came from the penalty spot — and Mbappé made sure it arrived with style. With the keeper frozen on his line, the 26-year-old calmly lifted a Panenka straight down the middle to give Les Bleus the lead.
Link-Up Play, Off-ball Movement, and a Simple Finish (France 3–0 Ukraine)
His second goal encapsulated everything that makes Mbappé such a force:
- Smart link-up play to start the sequence
- Moves into space once the ball was laid off
- And the composure to tap into an empty net after France carved Ukraine apart
A One-Touch Assist for Ekitike (France 4–0 Ukraine)
Mbappé turned provider late in the match, slicing into the box before delivering a perfect one-touch layoff for Hugo Ekitike to sweep home.
Was this a preview of what’s to come in the upcoming World Cup?