France's 0-0 draw with Israel in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday ends Les Bleus' 2024 on home soil in the most underwhelming fashion. Owing to the tense situation surrounding the League A Group 2 clash at Stade de France, the French team closed the calendar year in front of the lowest attendance ever seen at the venue with under 17,000 present to witness one of the worst showings under head coach Didier Deschamps.
Italy on Sunday is no longer really a game for top spot given that both know that they are into the knockout phase and it will require besting a three-goal differential and not just improving on the Azzurri's 3-1 win in Paris to take first place. Of greater concern, though, was the fact that this was another nondescript showing from a nondescript team that is void of any real identity at this moment in time and off the back of a testing 2024.
"There is huge disappointment and frustration," said Ibrahima Konate postgame. "We dominated and had lots of chances to wrap things up. We did not lose and we are qualified but we cannot feel proud of this. On the field, we had a great chance to win but we lacked efficiency. We are happy to have qualified but we must also know how to learn from our mistakes.
"There is frustration, anger and a bit of everything," added Jules Kounde. "We did not play well at all. I do not know if we should be happy after this game but the qualification being secured is the only positive point of this evening."
Despite those strong words, this French side without captain Kylian Mbappe, but also retired Antoine Griezmann and injured pair Ousmane Dembele as well as Lucas Hernandez, lacks any truly strong characters with legitimate leadership claims. N'Golo Kante skippered the team on the day against Israel, and is a leader through experience but he is far from being vocal which renders him largely ineffectual.
There is little doubt that it will be Deschamps leading this side in 2025 and Mbappe will very likely be back by then ahead of the 2026 qualification cycle and skippering the side. However, on this evidence, there is no guarantee that France will get back to their previous best with or without the Real Madrid man which is only likely to heighten tension and increase the calls for Zinedine Zidane to finally be given his chance with this squad.
"Kylian is not here so I will tell you what I already told you -- leave him alone," Deschamps said postgame. "I said what I had to say. Sometimes it is good not to say too much. He is not being sanctioned. He is in a complicated situation and I am behind him. It is not the happiest moment of his career, but he still wanted to be here with us. I think that it is better for him for now -- everyone has the right to go through tough times. There are constant interpretations and I weigh my words carefully. Either I say something or I say nothing."
The empty stands spoke about far more than just the delicate political nature around this game -- it also spoke to the returning disconnect between the French fans and their team which is arguably approaching its lowest ebb since Deschamps' early days in charge. The former France captain and FIFA World Cup winner as a player and head coach successfully mended that but has also seen it return of late and now risks leaving without some of his strong work undone.