France 1-0 Austria: Didier Deschamps' side begin Euro 2024 with a win over Austria after Maximilian Wober's own goal... as Les Bleus captain Kylian Mbappe suffers a broken nose

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Everyone was appropriating the man on Monday night. 'Kylian McBappe' stated an enterprising Scottish banner. Children scribbled optimistic requests for his shirt. And when the moment arrived, the new France captain looked like he had been waiting for the opportunity all his life.

France's build-up to this tournament has been set against the kind of background which would have had most PR teams in a state of panic, with the lurch to the political right in the country leading both Mbappe and Marcus Thuram to speak out.

If Mbappe had read headlines in L'Equipe then it was of no consequence. From the moment he arrived for the warm-up, racing around in the keep-ball exercises, to the moment he set up the decisive goal, the occasion screamed significance.

There was more of his capacity for the unexpected when he accelerated beyond Max Wober with the goal at his mercy, only to curl the ball at an advertising hoarding for Lidl before the hour mark. One touch too many. He had waited too long for the optimal moment to shoot.

But this was still some show, a measure of what the level is for England if they are to win this tournament and — to get carried away with the future for a moment — beat France in the semi-finals.

France began their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 win over Austria on Monday evening

Maximilian Wober (middle) headed the ball into his own net to give France the lead

Late in the match, Les Bleus captain Kylian Mbappe appeared to suffer a broken nose

Didier Deschamps watched on attentively as his side kick-started their Euros with a victory

The Austrians had approached things with genuine ambition. They outnumbered the French in Dusseldorf all day and made most of the noise in the stadium. 'Let's fish for the first points together' stated one of the more surreal banners, running beneath a red sea of Austrian support behind the goal France attacked first.

That confidence is borne of Ralf Rangnick imbuing real belief in the team with his high pressing. When he failed to turn Manchester United around two years ago, he arrived in Vienna with a plan, some sophistication — and on Monday night's evidence, he wears a suit and white t-shirt well too.

A football ethos is all very well on paper, but things rather depend on who you are up against. Any hope Austria had of blitzing France from the off quickly evaporated as the game morphed into a story of the explosive French left flank that saw two marauding runs from Theo Hernandez.

Then there was Mbappe, powering into 20 yards of space which Adrien Rabiot had eased him into, bearing down on keeper Patrick Pentz, who did well to turn the ball around the post.

This was breathtaking work and the faculty Rangnick's players found to cope with it was attrition. Kevin Danso barged Mbappe from behind. Florian Grillitsch faced him down and took him out. Ousmane Dembele and Hernandez both got the same rough treatment.

France eased their way through this minefield, with one understated moment around the half-hour mark demonstrating how Mbappe exceeded any tendency to drift around the edges of a game such as this.

Loitering near the left touchline, he delivered a ball with the inside of his heel which sent Hernandez powering through and dropped into the left back's position to cover for him while he was away.

There was a scare when, on a rare Austrian venture into French territory, William Saliba missed a cross and allowed Marcel Sabitzer to play Christoph Baumgartner in on goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

The forward hesitated though and the ball looped up off Hugo Lloris' successor and wide. But the opening goal, orchestrated by Mbappe and his dancing shoes, had an inevitability about it.

There was a step over, his advance past the defender on the right-hand side of the box and then a stabbed cross, creating panic in the Austrian area, including from Wober, who clumsily turned the ball into his own net.

France captain Mbappe proved instrumental in his side's only goal on the evening

However, the 25-year-old ended the match in a heap on the ground after breaking his nose

Austria kept at it. Even by half-time, they had attempted the most tackles of any team so far in this tournament, although they were beginning to tire. Pressing high throughout, they left space behind. France simply allowed them possession and waited to counter-attack.

You might also say there was complacency as the game wore on. Thuram attempted a sequence of step-overs as he advanced towards the box and despatched a wild shot.

And before the night was over, there was concern. An accidental collision with Kevin Danso saw Mbappe leave the field holding his nose after a nasty bang, which may have broken it. He was booked after re-entering the pitch and sitting down to waste time.

Despite that, you sense his show has only just started. Expect it to run and run.