The Athletic FC: Mbappe breaks his nose, a nation waits; Your guide to Copa groups

Hello! Kylian Mbappe has just acquired the most famous nose in football.

On the way:

😰 Injury leaves France sweating on their superstar

🇧🇪 Belgium’s golden boys lose their shine

🇺🇸 USMNT’s Copa group rivals assessed

🆚 Ronaldo and Messi’s shootout

Euros Zone: Any ideas for a mask?

The giveaway was Austria goalkeeper Patrick Pentz waving urgently at France’s bench. Austria were 1-0 down, time was running out but Pentz could see that Kylian Mbappe — writhing on the turf beside him — was not cynically killing the clock.

Before long it was clear to everyone that Mbappe was not faking it either. The images were stark — of Mbappe’s nose bloodied and broken – and it remains to be seen what an accidental collision late in France’s first game of Euro 2024 does for their entire tournament.

Otherwise, it was a passable night for the French: a difficult scrap against an Austria team who sparred hard, but a win inspired by N’Golo Kante patrolling the field like a hitman. Didier Deschamps would have taken it — until his star man collided with Kevin Danso while trying to head in a corner.

This is what we know about Mbappe’s condition:

• His tournament is not over yet. X-rays spared him immediate surgery
• France intend to use a protective face mask to allow him to play
• Deschamps called it the “negative point” of the night. “His nose is not good at all,” he said.

The Netherlands are next for France, this Friday. A jocular tweet from Mbappe late yesterday — “Any ideas for masks?” — made it sound like he’ll cover hell and high water to make it.

🎙️ Our experts discuss Mbappe and what this means on our Totally Football Podcast

Tarnished gold

There was fatigue in Kevin De Bruyne’s voice last week when he was asked about Belgium’s golden generation; fatigue because he was tired of talking about it, but also because he knows it is over.

It’s been the theme around Belgium for over a decade: all the potential they could ask for but no pot at the end of the rainbow. De Bruyne is 32 and might not have another Euros in him. Other elite names have come and gone. So much talent has tamely passed through.

Yesterday they sucked up a sorry 1-0 defeat to Slovakia, albeit brought on by a dubious handball decision which denied Romelu Lukaku an equaliser. The incident allowed UEFA to unleash its new toy, the VAR ‘snickometer'(above). Not that Lukaku was loving it.

Goal of the tournament?

To an extent, Belgium can blame us. We told you to look out for Jeremy Doku, whose silly mistake gave Slovakia their goal. We said in yesterday’s TAFC that we’d had no upsets in Germany, only for Belgium to fall through the ice.

We’d also had no goal-of-the-Euros contender but then came Nicolae Stanciu and his beauty for Romania against Ukraine (above). It had everything — distance, swerve, power, top bins — and it’ll take a bit of beating.

We’re all quietly rooting for Ukraine but they were heavily outplayed in a 3-0 defeat. Romania are interesting: few household names and players like Tottenham Hotspur’s Radu Dragusin who don’t get much game time with their clubs, but they’re organised, well-drilled — and best avoided in the knockouts.

Catch a match

(ET/UK times): Group F: Turkey vs Georgia (12pm/5pm) — Fubo, BBC; Portugal v Czechia (3pm/8pm), Fubo, Fox, BBC One, BBC iPlayer

Teens at tournaments: Exams, night clubs and managing youngsters

Getty Images; design Eamonn Dalton

Somebody who won’t be lighting up the Copa America is Bolivia’s Moises Paniagua. He’s 16 and he failed to make the squad because he lacked the required parental permission for a United States visa. Bless.

His bad luck reminds you that some of the keenest talents in world football are no more than children. Spain’s Lamine Yamal, 16, has taken school homework with him to the Euros. Brazil’s Endrick wants to visit a Disney theme park while he’s at the Copa. Better than a strip club, I guess.

It poses a double-pronged challenge for a coach — to harness the raw ability of a teenager while also appreciating their age. Sometimes they get it wrong, like Sven-Goran Eriksson taking a 17-year-old Theo Walcott to the 2006 World Cup with England.

To quote ex-England defender Jamie Carragher: “It felt like he was a fan on the trip.”

DealSheet 🤝🏻

A few quick hits from this week’s Transfer DealSheet.

Lille’s Leny Yoro has the big time at his fingertips. Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain…it’s a hell of a wanted list

Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, once of Bayern Munich, is also drawing admiring glances from Old Trafford

Tottenham are tracking Leeds United’s Archie Gray. Take it from me, he’s got generational talent vibes

Napoli have had to slap down the agent of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who seemingly wants his client to get out of there. The brilliant Kvaradona is in action for Georgia against Turkey today

The fixtures for the 2024-25 Premier League season have been released. The pick of weekend one is champions Manchester City away at Chelsea (Pep versus his old assistant). You’ll find full club lists here.

Copa Corner: Analysing USMNT’s rivals in Group C

Our Copa 2024 group guides are live for your enjoyment. Pool A and Pool C strike me as the most intriguing, especially the face-off between the USMNT and Uruguay in the latter. In Group D, props to Colombia for their qualifying form.

We’ve also got an interview with U.S. defender Antonee Robinson, and I like the cut of his jib (though I’m guilty of doing that thing he hates — looking at him and automatically thinking about that transfer to AC Milan which fell through).

A lot has been said about where the USMNT could go, what they could be and what they could achieve. Robinson says he wants to “send a message to the world that we’re a team that should be respected.” He’s right — time to show that it’s more than hype.

Ronaldo 🆚 Messi In Goals

Assuming there’s room in life for mutual appreciation of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — come on YouTubers, spread the love — then take a moment to reflect on their longevity.

Sure, their international goalscoring records are crackers (an out-on-his-own 130 for the boy from Portugal, whose Euros launch against Czechia later; 108 for Argentina’s finest) but few things in our granular comparison between them are as staggering as their combined minutes for their countries: 31,462.

Certain footballers spend a lifetime fighting with their bodies. These two are somehow immune to serious injury or wear and tear. There’s no harm in acknowledging that — or reminding yourself of the lethal nature of Messi’s left foot. It’s as surgical as Tom Brady’s right arm.

Enjoying the Euros? Don’t forget to drop us a line about anything in TAFC. Or ask me a question if you like. Email: theathleticfc@theathletic.com

(Top photo: Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)