France’s 1-0 win against Austria maintained their record of not losing the opening game of a major tournament under Didier Deschamps. The result was as predictable as the means by which it was obtained: solidity, efficiency and individual quality. Voilà, the hallmarks of a victory à-la-Deschamps. Kylian Mbappé: the centrist Kylian Mbappé occupies the middle ground. With the far right doing well in the polls in France before the legislative elections, Mbappé rallied against centrifugal forces. “I am in favour of ideas that unite people,” said the France captain. “I don’t want to wear a jersey that doesn’t correspond with my values.” His words will be music to the ears of Emmanuel Macron as he fights for control of the parliament. On the pitch, as in the political sphere, Mbappé occupied central areas against Austria. His positioning is an acknowledgement of two indisputable facts: firstly, his strength does not lie in his defensive work, a weakness that more central positioning mitigates. Secondly, in possession, France want Mbappé in the danger zones – as close to the goal area as possible. He is France’s most clinical player by a long shot; Marcus Thuram’s profligacy only accentuated this observation. The move to the middle also decreased Mbappé’s workload. There were questions about his fitness before the tournament, which he did little to dispel. “Being ready physically is not the most important thing,” he said pre-match. “What is more important is to be mentally ready. I want the head, rather than the legs. It’s great to have both and we’ll see if I have the legs.” Now sidelined with a broken nose, Mbappé will have more time to recover from the minor back and knee issues that dogged his preparation for the Euros. Théo Hernández: the marauder There is a sense of deja vu for the Hernández brothers. At the World Cup in Qatar, Théo stood in for Lucas, who suffered a serious knee injury just minutes into France’s opening game against Australia. Eighteen months later and Théo is once again standing in for Lucas, who is once again cruelly sidelined with another knee injury. Théo is a more than capable replacement, as he once again showed against Austria. It was no shock to see so much of France’s threat coming down the left, but the extent to which Hernández rather than Mbappé provided that attacking thrust was surprising. The Milan full-back linked up well with the new Real Madrid signing, making driving underlapping runs that destabilised a largely settled Austria midfield. Mbappé’s absence is a concern, but the marauding Hernández has allayed some of those fears. France’s left flank will remain productive. Jules Koundé: the stylish, unstylish full-back In contrast, on the other flank, there was a distinct lack of attacking impulsion. If Hernández is the embodiment of the modern full-back, Jules Koundé represents a more traditional, unfashionable interpretation of the role. Within that, there is an unmissable irony. Koundé’s eccentric fashion choices often raise eyebrows; his choice to arrive at Clairefontaine in a set of heels earlier this month certainly did just that. “Fashion is a facet of my personality,” he said. “I like to dress well. The look when I arrived at Clairefontaine came to me naturally.” He may occupy advanced areas at times but he carries little to no threat. His scuffed shot, unmarked and unpressured in the penalty box late in the second half was evidence of a player that is not comfortable in such areas. However, seconds later, he showed his strength: his defensive work. He never looked troubled and kept his opponent at arm’s length throughout. Koundé’s playing style may not be à-la-mode but he delivers the defensive solidity Deschamps craves. N’Golo Kanté: the revenant After 733 days in the wilderness, N’Golo Kanté was brought in from the cold, or from the oppressive heat of Saudi Arabia. Recurrent injuries brought his career at Chelsea to an abrupt end and it was thought that his subsequent move to Al-Ittihad would end his France career too. Not so. Kanté recovered his fitness and his form followed quickly. It was enough to convince Deschamps. No France player made as many tackles, as many interceptions or created as many chances as Kanté, whose performance was reminiscent of his prime years at Leicester City and Chelsea. “I brought him for that – he shone,” said Deschamps, who now has a decision to make. Aurélien Tchouaméni replaced Kanté in Qatar – the torch was symbolically passed but Kanté never fully relinquished his grip. The Real Madrid midfielder missed France’s Euro 2024 opener as he continues to recover from a fractured foot. He is expected to be fit to face the Netherlands; whether he can displace Kanté in the midfield is another question entirely. William Saliba: the chosen one Deschamps isn’t accustomed to publicly criticising his players, however, he made a rare exception in March, explaining his decision not to give William Saliba more minutes. “He is having a good season but he also does things that I don’t like so much,” said the France manager. “For France, he has limited gametime, but when he plays, that hasn’t necessarily gone well.” Until now, Saliba has been held in higher regard in England than in France. The Arsenal defender, by his own admission, doesn’t have a “standout match” for his country; that has affected how he is viewed, not only by Deschamps but by many fans. It was no surprise that Saliba was one of the 25 players picked by Deschamps to go to Germany, but his inclusion over Ibrahima Konaté in the XI against Austria certainly was. Saliba’s failed attempt at an overhead clearance was perhaps one of the “things” that Deschamps “doesn’t like”, but he was solid in duels and unfazed in possession, repaying his manager’s faith. “If I played Saliba, it’s because I thought he was more ready than Konaté,” said Deschamps post-match. Saliba did not give Deschamps any reason to change things against the Netherlands on Friday. Didier Deschamps: the model In Düsseldorf, the birthplace of Kraftwerk, Deschamps showed why he remains Das Model in the field of international managers. His philosophy, which has been adopted by England manager Gareth Southgate, has taken Les Bleus to back-to-back World Cup finals. It is hard to argue against Deschamps’ efficient albeit unspectacular brand of football. Replication is an understandable by-product of that success. Deschamps, the constructor of Die Mensch-Maschine, has programmed this team to succeed at major tournaments. The players already have the codes; they’re going through the motions. The model from previous campaigns remains in place in Germany. Even though there is a vivacity and attraction to the chaotic matches around him at this high-scoring Euros, Deschamps and France will not be sucked into it. France once again have the codes to succeed in Germany, in the only way they know how. Deschamps, despite his detractors, is still Das Model, and, in his own way, is “looking good”.