France in the UEFA Nations League

The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body. The first season began in September 2018, consisting of four groups in each of the four leagues ranked by UEFA coefficient of each country.

France has been on the highest level of the competition, in League A, since the beginning of this tournament. In their first season, they finished second in Group A1, behind the Netherlands but ahead of Germany. In the following edition, France advanced to the Finals for the first and so far only time: after winning Group A3, they went on to beat Belgium in the semi-finals and then Spain in the final, making France the first ever European nation to win the World Cup, the European Championship and the Nations League.

Overall record

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UEFA Nations League record
Season** Division Group Pld W D* L GF GA P/R Rank
  2018–19 A 1 4 2 1 1 4 4   6th
  2020–21 A 3 8 7 1 0 17 8   1st
  2022–23 A 1 6 1 2 3 5 7   12th
  2024–25 A 2 In progress
Total 18 10 4 4 26 19 1 Title
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
**Group stage played home and away. Flag shown represents host nation for the finals stage. Red border colour indicates the finals stage was held on home soil.

List of matches

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Season Round Opponent Score Result Venue France scorers
    2018–19 Group stage
  Germany 0–0 D Munich
  Netherlands 2–1 W Saint-Denis Mbappé, Giroud
  Germany 2–1 W Saint-Denis Griezmann (2)
  Netherlands 0–2 L Rotterdam
    2020–21 Group stage
  Sweden 1–0 W Solna Mbappé
  Croatia 4–2 W Saint-Denis Griezmann, Livaković (o.g.), Upamecano, Giroud
  Portugal 0–0 D Saint-Denis
  Croatia 2–1 W Zagreb Griezmann, Mbappé
  Portugal 1–0 W Lisbon Kanté
  Sweden 4–2 W Saint-Denis Giroud (2), Pavard, Coman
Semi-final   Belgium 3–2 W Turin Benzema, Mbappé, T. Hernandez
Final   Spain 2–1 W Milan Benzema, Mbappé
    2022–23 Group stage
  Denmark 1–2 L Saint-Denis Benzema
  Croatia 1–1 D Split Rabiot
  Austria 1–1 D Vienna Mbappé
  Croatia 0–1 L Saint-Denis
  Austria 2–0 W Saint-Denis Mbappé, Giroud
  Denmark 0–2 L Copenhagen
  2024–25 Group stage
  Italy 1–3 L Paris Barcola
  Belgium 2–0 W Décines-Charpieu Kolo Muani, Dembélé
  Israel 4–1 W Budapest Camavinga, Nkunku, Guendouzi, Barcola
  Belgium 2–1 W Leuven Kolo Muani (2)
  Israel 0–0 D Saint-Denis
  Italy 3–1 W Milan Rabiot (2), Vicario (o.g.)
Quarter-final   Croatia Split
Saint-Denis

2018–19 UEFA Nations League

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Group stage

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification[a]      
1   Netherlands 4 2 1 1 8 4 +4 7[b] Qualification for Nations League Finals 2–0 3–0
2   France 4 2 1 1 4 4 0 7[b] 2–1 2–1
3   Germany 4 0 2 2 3 7 −4 2 2–2 0–0
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ Due to revamp of the format for the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League, no teams were eventually relegated.
  2. ^ a b Head-to-head goal difference: Netherlands +1, France −1.
Germany  0–0  France
Report
Attendance: 67,485[1]

France  2–1  Netherlands
Report

France  2–1  Germany
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Netherlands  2–0  France
Report
Attendance: 44,366[1]

2020–21 UEFA Nations League

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Group stage

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation        
1   France 6 5 1 0 12 5 +7 16 Qualification for Nations League Finals 0–0 4–2 4–2
2   Portugal 6 4 1 1 12 4 +8 13 0–1 4–1 3–0
3   Croatia 6 1 0 5 9 16 −7 3[a] 1–2 2–3 2–1
4   Sweden (R) 6 1 0 5 5 13 −8 3[a] Relegation to League B 0–1 0–2 2–1
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Tied on head-to-head results. Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.
Sweden  0–1  France
Report

France  4–2  Croatia
Report

France  0–0  Portugal
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Croatia  1–2  France
Report

Portugal  0–1  France
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France  4–2  Sweden
Report

Finals

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France qualified for its first appearance to the UEFA Nations League Finals in the 2020–21 season, after defeating Portugal on 14 November 2020.[8]

Semi-finals

Belgium  2–3  France
Report
Attendance: 12,409[9]

Final

Spain  1–2  France
Report
Attendance: 31,511[10]

2022–23 UEFA Nations League

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Group stage

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation        
1   Croatia 6 4 1 1 8 6 +2 13 Qualification for Nations League Finals 2–1 1–1 0–3
2   Denmark 6 4 0 2 9 5 +4 12 0–1 2–0 2–0
3   France 6 1 2 3 5 7 −2 5 0–1 1–2 2–0
4   Austria (R) 6 1 1 4 6 10 −4 4 Relegation to League B 1–3 1–2 1–1
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(R) Relegated
France  1–2  Denmark
Report

Croatia  1–1  France
Report
Attendance: 30,000[12]
Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)

Austria  1–1  France
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France  0–1  Croatia
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France  2–0  Austria
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Denmark  2–0  France
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2024–25 UEFA Nations League

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Group stage

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation        
1   France 6 4 1 1 12 6 +6 13[a] Advance to quarter-finals 1–3 2–0 0–0
2   Italy 6 4 1 1 13 8 +5 13[a] 1–3 2–2 4–1
3   Belgium 6 1 1 4 6 9 −3 4[b] Qualification for relegation play-offs 1–2 0–1 3–1
4   Israel (R) 6 1 1 4 5 13 −8 4[b] Relegation to League B 1–4 1–2 1–0
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Tied on head to head results. Overall goal difference: France +6, Italy +5.
  2. ^ a b Tied on head to head points. Head to head goal difference: Belgium +1, Israel –1.
France  1–3  Italy
Report

France  2–0  Belgium
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Israel  1–4  France
Report
Attendance: 2,226[19]

Belgium  1–2  France
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France  0–0  Israel
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Italy  1–3  France
Report
Attendance: 68,158[22]

Quarter-finals

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First leg

Croatia  v  France
Report

Second leg

France  v  Croatia
Report

Goalscorers

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Player Goals 2018–19 2020–21 2022–23 2024–25
Kylian Mbappé 7 1 4 2
Olivier Giroud 5 1 3 1
Antoine Griezmann 4 2 2
Karim Benzema 3 2 1
Randal Kolo Muani 3 3
Adrien Rabiot 3 1 2
Bradley Barcola 2 2
Eduardo Camavinga 1 1
Kingsley Coman 1 1
Ousmane Dembélé 1 1
Mattéo Guendouzi 1 1
Théo Hernandez 1 1
N'Golo Kanté 1 1
Christopher Nkunku 1 1
Benjamin Pavard 1 1
Dayot Upamecano 1 1
Own goals 2 1 1
Total 38 4 17 5 12

Bold players are still active with the national team.

See also

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Notes

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[note 1] [note 2] [note 3]

  1. ^ a b c Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, all matches scheduled for September 2020 were played behind closed doors.[23][24]
  2. ^ a b c Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the match was played behind closed doors.
  3. ^ a b Due to the Israel–Hamas war, Israel are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Summary UEFA Nations League A – Group 1". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Sweden vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  3. ^ "France vs. Croatia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  4. ^ "France vs. Portugal" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Croatia vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Portugal vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  7. ^ "France vs. Sweden" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Portugal 0–1 France-". UEFA.com. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Full Time Report – Semi-finals – Belgium v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Full Time Report – Final – Spain v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  11. ^ "France vs. Denmark" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Croatia vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Austria vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  14. ^ "France vs. Croatia" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  15. ^ "France vs. Austria" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Denmark vs. France" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – France v Italy" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – France v Belgium" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – Israel v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – Belgium v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – France v Israel" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Full Time Report League phase – Italy v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  23. ^ "UEFA meets general secretaries of member associations". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  24. ^ "UEFA Super Cup to test partial return of spectators". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  25. ^ "European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden declared abandoned with half-time result confirmed as final". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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