The French national team played to a scoreless draw in their last friendly match before Euro 2024.

France and Canada played out an entertaining but ultimately goalless draw in their international friendly match at the Matmut Atlantique stadium in Bordeaux. The match served as France’s final home game before they depart for Euro 2024.

In the first half, Canada held their own against the French side, showing confidence on the ball and posing a threat in attack. However, it was France who came closest to scoring, with goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau making three impressive saves to deny them.

The second half continued to be an enjoyable contest, with Liam Millar hitting the crossbar with a powerful curler and Olivier Giroud, in his farewell appearance for France on home soil, narrowly missing several chances. Despite both teams’ efforts, neither could find the back of the net.

The result will not be a cause for concern for Canada, as they showcased themselves as a decent and improving side. However, France’s performance was unconvincing, and manager Didier Deschamps will have work to do to address their shortcomings.

One talking point is the direction in which France is heading. There is a sense that they are not improving as a team, despite having talented players. Their passing and link-up play lack sharpness, and there is a lack of dynamism under Deschamps. While there are players who did not feature in the match, such as Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, who could improve the team, there is a general lack of fluency that needs to be addressed.

It is worth considering whether France’s style of play suits international tournaments. While they have been successful in winning the World Cup, their cautious approach may hinder their ability to pass and move effectively. If they were to improve in this aspect, they would become a tougher team to beat. However, it seems unlikely that they will make significant changes at this point.

The player of the match was Maxime Crepeau from Canada, who made three crucial saves in the first half and continued to impress in the second.

Player ratings for France included solid performances from Saliba and Upamecano, while Giroud had a relatively quiet game. Canada’s standout players included Crepeau, Cornelius, and Davies.

A key stat from the match is that Olivier Giroud ends his international career with 57 goals in 133 appearances and one World Cup victory.

Overall, the match highlighted the areas of improvement for both teams, with Canada showing promise and France needing to address their lack of fluency and dynamism.