It’s not often we agree with John Motson, but that certainly was ‘international football at its very, very best…exhilarating for the observer’. Wow. What a game.

A closer look at the strikers’ heat maps (we love heat maps, we do) shows exactly why the Dutch were better. Ruud van Nistelrooy was immense tonight, without getting the glory. Every pass was precise, every touch deft. He moved for the ball, came back to help the defence, and was always available when the Netherlands broke. Compared to Thierry Henry, who seemed to stick to his role (didn’t all the French players) - even when the backs were to the wall - and give a Gallic sgrug if it didn’t go his way. That was the difference, and the stats prove it.

Now the lacklustre French have to beat the World Champions to stay in!

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