Dayot Upamecano
France was two good penalties away from successfully defending the World Cup title. Kylian Mbappe has rightly taken the majority of headlines due to good performances for the French team in Qatar, scoring eight goals in the competition.
Apart from the exploits in the final third from France, they also excelled defensively throughout the tournament. Before the final, they had conceded five goals in six games. Dayot Upamecano played a big part in helping France to be defensively solid throughout the game.
The Bayern defender was the mainstay in the central defense for France throughout the tournament. The only game he missed was against Croatia in the quarter-final since he was under the weather. He excelled on and off the ball from France, initiating attacking moves from the back with his expansive passing.
Didier Deschamps had special praise for Dayot Upamecano during the tournament. The French boss insisted that he has taken big steps during the World Cup to become an important player for the national team. Upamecano was unfortunate to not lift the World Cup, but he can be proud of his performances at the tournament. The Bavarian faithful will be hoping to see a similar level of consistency during Ruckrunde.