France's Tactical Puzzle: Why Mbappé and Cherki Can't Coexist

Playing Kylian Mbappé as a central striker has backfired for France. The Real Madrid star tends to drop deep, leaving no presence in the box, and his link-up play as a false 9 is ineffective. Adding Rayan Cherki, who offers little without the ball, makes the team defensively fragile. To unlock their potential, France should mirror PSG's setup: Ousmane Dembélé as a false 9, Warren Zaïre-Emery in midfield, and Malo Gusto at right-back. Another option is introducing Désiré Doué in midfield, as he b...