Netherlands v France LIVE: Euro 2024 result and final score after Xavi Simons goal denied by VAR check

There’s no masking the truth from this first 0-0 of Euro 2024. France, the true favourites, currently lack end product. It does raise doubt over whether they can end this tournament as European champions, although it only adds narrative weight to Kylian Mbappe’s eventual return from this broken nose.

He forced France’s only goal of Euro 2024 so far, and that was from an Austria defender. A promising Netherlands team did have the ball in the back of the net, although that was ruled out in the game’s most debated moment.

That wasn’t to say this was a bad match. It was often enthralling, although lacked more than the finish and the tournament’s outstanding player. That real impetus wasn’t there. Some of that may have been circumstantial.

Favourites France drew with the Netherlands in Leipzig in the first goalless draw of Euro 2024.

Both sides were seeking the three points that would have ensured qualification to the last 16, but they were guilty of lacking imagination and cutting-edge in a pedestrian first half, with Adrien Rabiot wasting the best chance of the first 45 after choosing to pass to Antoine Griezmann when the shot was an easier option.

With Kylian Mbappe out of the starting line-up and the Netherlands opting for a more defensive gameplan, the second half started in much the same way, though it burst into life after some dangerous French attacks and a disallowed goal for the Netherlands. Xavi Simons thought he had rifled a rebound past Maignan, only for it to be disallowed as Dumfries was deemed to be interfering with play from an offside position.

The Netherlands coach said: “The result is a bit disappointing, but if we think about the whole game in some parts we lost ball possession when we shouldn’t have, and that wasn’t great.

“There was too much space between our lines and we could have done better in the second half.”

They might have been to a major international tournament final in the not-too-distant past, but a tame start to the Euro 2024 group stage has been enough to start questions of team selection, adventurism and whether they really are among the favourites to triumph in Germany this summer.

Even though they’re still unbeaten after two games, and with the weakest team left to play, the performances haven’t been enough. They haven’t been convincing throughout. They haven’t shown that the best players are playing to their best form, and so there is room for criticism.

France drew 0-0 with the Netherlands as captain Kylian Mbappe watched on from the bench in Leipzig in the first goalless stalemate of Euro 2024.

Mbappe sustained a broken nose in France’s opening win against Austria and the superstar forward was only fit enough to make the bench as Didier Deschamps’ side failed to impress in the Group D clash.

Mbappe’s collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso could have put the France captain’s participation in the rest of the tournament in doubt after being taken to hospital in Dussedorf, but a scan confirmed that he did not require surgery.

N’Golo Kante has been named Uefa’s official man of the match in both of France’s Euro 2024 games. He hadn’t played for his country in almost two years before featuring in their warm-up friendlies for this tournament.

Here’s the big moment from the game. Decide for yourselves whether it should have been a goal, it’s easy to see why the officials ruled it out but did they get it right?

Tonight’s contest ended a run of 50 Euros matches without a goalless draw, stretching back to England facing Scotland at the 2020 edition.

Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer give their thoughts on the disallowed goal. Rooney said: “There’s no way that should be disallowed, I think it’s a goal and it was frustrating with how long it took.”

Shearer added: “Disappointing in front of goal particularly from a French point of view. They were really poor in front of goal.”

Here are the thoughts of Alan Shearer on BBC One: “I think France have been very fortunate here. When you see the angle behind the goal.

“The goalkeeper cannot dive for that with the body position he was in.”