Kylian Mbappe scores in return, but France flops in final match in Group D

Austria (six points) defeated the Netherlands 3-2, finishing first in Group D ahead of France (five points). The Blues still secured a spot in the knockout stage but face a difficult path.

France (No. 2) is on the same side of the bracket as Portugal (No. 6), Spain (No. 8) and Germany (No. 16); each of these clubs ranks among the top 20 squads in the world, per FIFA rankings.

France didn't look as strong as its rivals through the first three matches of the group stage. It only won once, drew twice and notched two goals. The Athletic's Michael Cox pins the poor play on manager Didier Deschamps' conservative style.

"Deschamps has never cared too much about being considered flashy," wrote Cox. "But that's not the sole criticism this time around. Now, the fear is that France is not merely boring, but actually not particularly good."

Clearly, Deschamps must shake it up and use a more aggressive strategy. Mbappe may need more help, too. He's one of the best players in the world, but he can't continue to carry the team, especially when he's still battling an injury.