Bleu Victory in Baku: Mbappé Absent, France Safely Secures World Cup Spot with a 3-1 Win
16 November 2025
Match Recap
France closed the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory away to Azerbaijan in Baku, despite the absence of Kylian Mbappé. The visitors found themselves chasing early as Renat Dadashov struck for the hosts in the 4th minute.
France hit back through Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 17th minute, followed by Magnus Akliouche who put the Diuins ahead in the 30th. The first half ended with a controversial moment as an Azeri keeper’s own goal finally gave France a secure lead in stoppage time (45+1).
By halftime, France led 2-1 but extended the advantage when Akliouche doubled his tally and the crossbar of the Azeri defense kept the scoreline from swelling further. The match remained controlled in the second half as France pressed through a rotated lineup coached by Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps started with a second-choice XI, including Lucas Chevalier in goal, with a backline featuring Maloujo? et al., and midfielders pushing the four attacking outlets—Mateta, Akliouche, N’Kunku, and Ekitike—before making late changes. In the 72nd minute Ryan Cherki and in the 79th minute Florian Thauvin came on to refresh the attack as France protected the result and prepared for the rest of the season with club duties looming.
The win capped a strong campaign for France who, having already qualified the previous week with a 4-0 victory over Ukraine, topped the group with 16 points while Azerbaijan remained with a single point at the bottom of the table. Deschamps, who has been in charge since 2012, indicated he would step away after the upcoming World Cup, ending a 174-match stint during which France collected 112 wins, 32 draws, and 30 defeats, scoring 372 goals and conceding 164.
Historically, Deschamps’ France have claimed the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 UEFA Nations League title, and runner-up honors at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup, with a bronze at the 2025 Nations League noted in the report. The current coach leaves a legacy of a team that consistently performs on the global stage.
