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• Deschamps back Mbappe to end France dry spell

  Didier Deschamps is confident Kylian Mbappe will regain his scoring touch soon and is not worried about his captain's current dry spell.

  France got back to winning ways in the Nations League on Monday, beating Belgium 2-0 thanks to goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele, who put on an inspired display in Lyon.

  Mbappe started on the bench and, after coming on, had four shots, two of which were on target, but failed to hit the back of the net for the fifth game in a row for Les Bleus.

  At club level, Mbappe got off the mark for Real Madrid in LaLiga with a brace just before the international break, and Deschamps is confident he will be back to his free-scoring best sooner rather than later.

  "Kylian feels good. Obviously, like almost all players, he is not yet at 100%," Deschamps told TF1.

  "His dry spell? Knowing his demands on that... Kylian will score goals. We may have focused a little too much on him. It doesn't happen with the snap of a finger.

  "But I repeat, the French team will always be stronger with him. I am convinced that in a month he will be better.

  "There are very high demands in his club. With us, he fully assumes his role as captain, even when he is not playing. I have no worries with Kylian."

  France endured an underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign before following it up with a disappointing loss to Italy in their Nations League opener last week.

  Despite getting back to winning ways on Monday, the French fans made their frustration with the national team heard, directing boos and whistles at Deschamps during the match.

  The 55-year-old was unfazed by the criticism but believes it will negatively affect the team as a whole going forward.

  "I didn't hear the whistles," Deschamps added. "But you know, I'm not going to say that I was born with criticism, but it's part of the game, it's my responsibility, I'm immersed in everything that's happening.

  "It doesn't have an influence on me, but on the players, the environment... When we come, we support the French team, so the whistles... That people are unhappy, disappointed, that they show it, why not, but now when the players are on the field... I don't think it's for the good of the French team."

• Nagelsmann sticking to winning Nations League formula against Netherlands

  Continuity is key for Julian Nagelsmann, as the Germany head coach revealed he would make minimal changes for their Nations League encounter with the Netherlands.

  Nagelsmann, who watched on as his side swept aside Hungary 5-0 last week, confirmed he will be without Euro 2024 hero Niclas Fullkrug, though.

  The 31-year-old scored two goals at the European Championships and was again on target for the Nationalelf in their Nations League opener. 

  Fullkrug was replaced in the 60th minute by Maximilian Beier, registering an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.11 to Germany's 3.71 total against Hungary. 

  However, Nagelsmann confirmed the West Ham United striker suffered an Achilles tendon injury that will rule him out of Tuesday's fixture in Amsterdam. 

  "It is not yet clear whether he can play," Nagelsmann said ahead of kick-off, but revealed he would not be making wholesale changes from their 5-0 win over Hungary.

  “We are not thinking about changing much," Nagelsmann said.

  "There are certainly things we can do similarly. But it is a different opponent with a different style of play."

  Germany's win over Hungary also marked their first encounter without a number of their recent heroes following their retirement after Euro 2024. 

  Ilkay Gundogan, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, who have 451 caps between them, hung up their boots after their run to quarter-finals in their home tournament.

  It offered the opportunity for players to stake a claim in the first-team squad, none more so than Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

  Ter Stegen made 41 appearances for his country but has been second choice to Neuer at major tournaments, and the 32-year-old returned to the international stage with a clean sheet, albeit only facing one shot on target against Hungary. 

  "Marc played a very good game against Hungary," Nagelsmann said.

  "He is a very important player for us because he has been with Barcelona for years and has a responsible position there as captain." 

  Although in March, Nagelsmann had told Ter Stegen it would be Neuer who would start at the European Championships, despite missing 21 games for club and country with injury.

  "The conversation wasn't particularly pleasant. Marc took it well and accepted the decision," Nagelsmann said.

  "But I was briefly concerned that he would say I'm not going along with it. That would have been a shame."

• Koeman insists Depay has Netherlands future after Corinthians move

  Ronald Koeman said there is still a place in the Netherlands team for Memphis Depay after reportedly agreeing a deal with Brazilian giants, Corinthians.

  Depay, who has 98 appearances for his country since his debut in 2013, was not picked for the Oranje's Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany this month. 

  The 30-year-old started all six of the Netherlands' fixtures at Euro 2024, scoring against Austria and notching an assist in their quarter-final win over Turkiye.

  He struggled with injuries during his final season at Atletico Madrid, missing 18 games in all competitions, but still managed nine goals in 31 appearances.

  But Koeman's comments come after denouncing the move of Steven Bergwijn to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, saying his decision to move to the Middle East had closed the book on his international career.

  “I disapproved Bergwijn to Saudi, with Memphis it can be different," Koeman said.

  "The level of the league in Brazil is different, so yes, he can still be part of the national team, but it depends on his fitness and if he reaches his level.”

  Koeman's side will be hoping to maintain their winning start to their Nations League campaign against Germany in Amsterdam on Tuesday. 

  The Netherlands put five past Bosnia last week, with Joshua Zirkzee, Tijjani Reijnders, Cody Gakpo, Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons all on target. 

  Despite registering 28 shots, with nine of those on target, along with an expected goals (xG) total of 4.09, two lapses in concentration from Matthijs de Ligt were punished by Bosnia.

  Ermedin Demirovic capitalised on some poor positioning by the Manchester United defender, who was then caught ball-watching as veteran Edin Dzeko capitalised.

  But Koeman again jumped to the defence of the 25-year-old, confirming that De Ligt would be starting against Germany.

  "We have discussed it," Koeman said. "He did not get his footwork right. It was a bad individual moment for a defender.

  "You have to learn from that, it is clear that these kinds of moments need to be improved. But we should not be dramatic about it and put too much emphasis on it."