France Faces Defeat to Italy in Nations League Opening Match

The French national football team suffered a disappointing defeat against Italy, losing 3-1 in their opening match of the Nations League on Friday, September 6, 2024, at the Parc des Princes in Paris. This match marked France‘s return to international competition following their elimination in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

Bradley Barcola scored a goal just 13 seconds into the game, giving France an early lead. Despite the fast start, Italy quickly responded, with Federico Dimarco scoring an equalizer in the 30th minute after a well-coordinated play. The Italians continued to dominate, taking the lead in the 51st minute through Davide Frattesi‘s goal, which came after a critical mistake from the French defense.

Italy extended their advantage in the 74th minute, when Giacomo Raspadori found the net, capitalizing on a lack of organization in the French back line. Although Antoine Griezmann notably had a shot on goal, it was not enough to change the outcome as the match concluded with Italy emerging victorious.

This defeat has raised concerns regarding the performance of the French team, who now turn their attention to their next match against Belgium on Monday, September 9, 2024, where they will seek to bounce back from this setback.