Real Madrid World Cup Spotlight: Tchouameni rises to the occasion | OneFootball

The second round of Group stage fixtures in Qatar gives the world a first glimpse at which teams are likely to qualify for the knockouts. The second day of the round saw teams of groups C and D in action with the spotlight primarily being on Argentina and France.

The first fixture of the day was between Tunisia and Australia at Al Janoub Stadium, where a great strike by Mitchell Duke saw the Socceroos take all three points.

The action then shifted to Poland’s clash against Saudi Arabia. Piotr Zielinski opened the scoring for the Polish side before Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal to seal the result.

France faced a stern test against Denmark in the third clash and were made to work hard for the win. After scoring through Kylian Mbappe just past the hour mark, the French side conceded at the other end seven minutes later. Ultimately, Mbappe scored again in the closing minutes to help his side top the group.

Argentina then played a virtually must-win encounter against Mexico. Despite a poor first-half performance from the Albiceleste, Lionel Messi inspired them by scoring a world-class opener before setting up the second and seeing his side through.

The only Real Madrid players in action on the night were Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, both for Didier Deschamps’ side in the third game. Madrid Universal brings you an overview of the youngster’s performance and role on the night.

Aurelien Tchouameni (France vs Denmark)

Walking onto football’s biggest stage at the tender age of 22, one would expect a player to collapse under pressure. Even the best players in the world have struggled to leave their mark and play unscathed in the FIFA World Cup, yet, Aurelien Tchouameni faces no such roadblock.

The French youngster is built differently, and his ability to keep his feet on the ground and his head on his shoulders help him keep his cool, whatever the situation. Against Denmark on Saturday night, the Real Madrid player was at his imperious best in the middle of the park and dictated his side’s play.

His ball-playing was on point at Stadium 974, as he completed a whopping 98.4% of the passes he attempted. He had 81 touches and did not misplace a single pass until the 80th minute.

As the defensive midfielder, he held off Denmark’s attacks with four tackles, two interceptions, a blocked shot and a clearance.

Further, he won five of the eight ground duels he was involved in. His ability to quickly neutralise counters nullified the Danish side’s threat and helped the French regain possession faster.

In addition to his strong defensive showing, Tchouameni had a lot to contribute to the buildup and chance creation too.

He made two key passes against the European opposition and created one big chance. Further, he completed 75% of long balls attempted and even came close to scoring through a header late in the second half.

It is safe to say that the French National team have found an able replacement for the evergreen N’Golo Kante who is ruled out of the World Cup. With Tchouameni providing great dividends on the trust bestowed in him by Didier Deschamps, his prominence in the National Team seems set to grow from this point on.

Eduardo Camavinga (France vs Denmark)

For the second successive game, Camavinga started and stayed on the bench for the entire game. Yet, his exclusion from the action is understandable, given the player’s poor form for his club and the availability of better options on the bench.

Given the manager’s formation, it is unlikely that the youngster will see many minutes in the World Cup, especially as the tournament progresses into its deeper stages.