Welcome to the live coverage of Germany vs France, UEFA Nations League clash where the winner will go home with a consolation third prize.
Welcome to the live coverage of Germany vs France, UEFA Nations League clash where the winner will go home with a consolation third prize.
The live-action for the Germany Vs France, third-place playoffs of the UEFA Nations League 2025 will start at 6:30 pm IST. The match will be played at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart.
The third place playoff between Germany and France will be live streamed on the SonyLiv app and website in India. The UEFA Nations League clash will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network TV channels in the country.
Captain Kylian Mbappe is starting for France, while Joshua Kimmich leads the charge for Germany. Let's take a look at how the two teams line up ahead of kick-off in Stuttgart:
Here's what home team coach Julian Nagelsmann said ahead of the encounter: "Our aim is to keep them as far away from goal as possible. We need to be better and more aggressive in possession than we were against Portugal.
"The striking thing is the depth they have all the way down to the Under-21 level. Yes they have some problems in some positions, but overall the quality is brutal. It's difficult to outplay them when they're in the flow. But we beat them in March and will try to do it again."
And this is what France boss Didier Deschamps had to say on the eve of the clash: "We have players with a lot of potential. They can't all play. I've never deprived myself of playing attacking players. We have the ability, as we showed against Spain, to exhibit control, create an enormous amount of chances, and score four goals. But we conceded five. It's a question of balance. I won't complain about having plenty of attacking players with a lot of quality at my disposal."
The national anthems are done and dusted and play gets underway at the MHP Arena. France attacking from right to left and Germany from left to right in the first half. Early warning signs for Les Bleus as the hosts come charging into their box and have a genuine chance, but French custodian Mike Maignan wards off the threat.
Germany have given French keeper Maignan a proper workout in the first 10 minutes. France, meanwhile, manage to ride the initial storm and finally create their first move inside the German box but it is quelled soon. Mbappe and Co appear to be sitting back a bit for now. Still early days in this encounter.
France come close to scoring off a corner as Loic Bade's header is directed towards the far post, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen does well to dive full length and palm it out of danger. Opportunities at both ends now.
Germany are awarded a penalty as Adeyemi goes down at the edge of the France box. A VAR check ensues and the referee rules that Adeyemi, in fact simulated the fall. The penalty is overturned and the German forward booked.
Kylian Mbappe! The France skipper takes down an aerial ball expertly, cuts inside and sends a right-footed shot curling past the German keeper. Mbappe puts Les Bleus in front at the stroke of half-time and nets his 50th goal for the national side in the process.
The scoreline stays at 1-0 in the favour of France, going into the mid-game interval. Mbappe's goal in the first minute of added time means that Les Bleus hold a slender but vital advantage, despite Germany creating a number of big chances. Let's see what the second half brings.
The players return to the pitch and Les Bleus get the ball rolling in the second half. France attacking from left to right and Germany from right to left now. Mbappe has a golden chance to score his second, early doors but his shot from close range dribbles into the side netting.
A Germany goal is disallowed upon VAR review. Fullkrug is deemed to have committed a foul on Rabiot in the build-up to the goal, and the scoreline stays at 1-0 in France's favour. Thuram hit the woodwork soon after, and the game gets tetchy with a flare-up in the middle of the pitch.
Thuram has another good chance to double France's lead, but his shot can't beat ter Stegen, whose outstretched palm does the job.
Germany's midfield is currently struggling to gain a foothold or any kind of rhythm in the game. That is opening things up for France, who continue to press into the hosts' box. And just as we say that, Mbappe unleashes a powerful shot from his right foot on to the German goal and ter Stegen does extremely well to save it.
Michael Olise doubles France's advantage in the 84th minute. Captain Mbappe lines up the assist and Olise does the rest to put Les Bleus on the verge of victory and a third-place finish.
The referee blows the final whistle after six minutes of added time and Germany are unable to find the back of the net. France emerge victors by a comfortable 2-0 margin to finish third in the UEFA Nations League.
The UEFA Nations League final pits Portugal against Spain, later tonight. The title clash kicks off at 12:30am IST and we will bring to you live updates from that game as well. Until then, goodbye.