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• Austria opener 'not decisive' for France as Deschamps highlights Argentina example

  Didier Deschamps knows the importance of France's Euro 2024 opener against Austria, but he pointed to Argentina's World Cup success to demonstrate a fast start is not everything.

  France are seen as one of the favourites to win the tournament in Germany, having reached the final at three of their last four major competitions, finishing as runners-up at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup either side of winning the 2018 World Cup.

  The Netherlands and Poland are also present in their tricky group, with Ronald Koeman's Oranje getting off the mark with a 2-1 win when those sides met on Sunday.

  Though Deschamps is keen to see France match that fast start, their experience at the Qatar World Cup proved it is not a necessity.

  A Kylian Mbappe hat-trick in the final of that tournament was not enough to prevent France from losing to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, who had opened their campaign with a stunning 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.

  "The first match is very important, but not decisive," Deschamps said on Sunday. "Starting with a win… there is nothing better, Austria will think the same.

  "Negotiating this first match well would put us in a good position, but there is no one way to do it, look at Argentina!

  "This is the competition, we made sure with all the staff that they had all the information. The common trait between all the matches is that the intensity is very high. 

  "Austria have this strength, they use verticality well. We will have to be ready to get the result we want."

  France's Euro 2024 preparations have been overshadowed by political events in the country, with forwards Marcus Thuram and Mbappe both choosing to speak out ahead of parliamentary elections to take place in the coming weeks.

  With Marine Le Pen's National Rally party expected to fare well, Thuram said the situation was "sad". 

  Mbappe, meanwhile, used Sunday's pre-match press conference to say: "I hope we'll still be proud to wear this jersey on July 7."

  Deschamps is not concerned about such matters distracting his players and never considered advising them against airing their views. 

  "I consider that my intervention would be inappropriate. I could have said, 'given the situation, guys, focus on the sport', as if I forbade them to speak," he said.

  "I didn't. They are men, French citizens, with their own sensitivities. When they are on the pitch, they are focused on the sporting objectives, but not disconnected from what can happen."

• Poland 1-2 Netherlands: Weghorst the hero in comeback win for the Dutch

  The Netherlands came from behind to beat Poland and start their Euro 2024 campaign with a 2-1 victory in Hamburg. 

  Substitute Wout Weghorst completed the turnaround for the Oranje late on, having gone behind to Adam Buksa's early effort. 

  The Poles would settle quicker than their opponents, and took the lead in the 16th minute as Buska rose highest to meet Piotr Zielinski's delivery into the box, the third consecutive goal the Netherlands have conceded from a corner kick, as many as in their previous 83 conceded goals.

  Despite record top-scorer Robert Lewandowski watching on from the bench, he would have been pleased by his side's start to the contest as they aimed to secure their first win over their opponents since 1980. 

  However, Gakpo hauled the Netherlands level with the aid of a deflection from Bartosz Salamon, his effort bouncing over the helpless Wojciech Szczesny. 

  Both sides continued to exchange blows in their search for an important three points ahead of France's meeting with Austria in Dusseldorf on Monday.

  But with seven minutes of the contest remaining, Weghorst emerged from the bench to score his seventh goal in his last 11 international appearances, finishing smartly after being picked out by Nathan Ake inside the box. 

  Data Debrief: Weghorst to the rescue as the Netherlands continue Poland streak

  Gakpo's strike took him into double figures for his nation, and he has now scored in each of his last four group stage games at the European Championships and World Cup, becoming the third European player to do so this century, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata.

  Poland are now winless in their last 13 meetings with the Netherlands in all competitions (D5 L8), since a 2-0 home win in EURO 1980 qualifying.

   

• Scotland boss Clarke 'kicked backsides and gave cuddles' after Germany rout

  Steve Clarke says he had to "kick a couple of backsides and give some cuddles" after Scotland were thrashed by Germany in their Euro 2024 opener, but he is certain his team's self-belief remains intact.

  Scotland suffered the heaviest defeat in an opening game at any European Championship on Friday, being routed 5-1 by a rampant Germany team in Munich.

  Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can all scored for the hosts, while Ryan Porteous was sent off for a horror challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.

  It was the first time Scotland had conceded five or more goals in a game since a 5-1 friendly defeat to the United States in 2012, and the first time in a competitive match since a 6-0 loss to the Netherlands in Euro 2004 qualifying 21 years ago.

  At the other end, meanwhile, Scotland failed to record a shot on target in a major tournament game for the first time since Euro 1992 (0-1 versus Netherlands).

  Asked what he had done in response to the defeat, Clarke said on Sunday: "Kick a couple of backsides, give some cuddles, make the players understand why the Germany result happened and make sure it doesn't happen again.

  "I've spoken to one or two players around the squad whose opinion I value. I had a good chat with a few of them.

  "I think their interpretation of what we asked them to do was wrong, so we've worked on that."

  Scotland must now pick themselves up for Wednesday's meeting with Switzerland, who began their own Group A campaign with an impressive 3-1 win over Hungary.

  The Tartan Army could lose their first two matches at a tournament (World Cup/Euros) for the fourth time, having done so at the 1954 and 1986 World Cups and Euro 1992.

  However, Clarke insists confidence in the camp is still high, adding: "We believe in ourselves, there's no danger of that. We know it was a bad night.

  "We have to accept all the criticism that comes our way and then we have to put it right. To be in football, you have to be very resilient."