On the evening that Kylian Mbappe, the Blues' new captain, led the team into a new era by crushing Holland, a "hugely bitter" Karim Benzema turned down a France retirement homage.
Before their first Euro 2024 qualifying match, the two legendary strikers were supposed to be honored together at the Stade de France on Friday.
Instead, Benzema, 35, issued a polite email to the France Football Federation stating: "I won't be available."
He was incensed that Didier Deschamps, the manager of France, had sent him home from the World Cup in Qatar in December despite a thigh ailment that only required little care.
Even the French president's invitation to return for his nation's defeat to Argentina in the Qatar final was declined by the Ballon d'Or winner.
'Karim has never been thrilled with the way he was handled by Deschamps and the French hierarchy and staying away from the Holland game showed how incredibly furious he is,' a Paris-based source close to the Real Madrid midfielder claimed.
He has amassed 24 titles with Real Madrid alone, including five Champions League gold, but he is adamant that if he had been competing, France would have won their third World Cup in Qatar. Although Argentina used wounded attackers, Deschamps never truly wanted to utilize Karim because of their previous interactions.
The dispute between Mbappe and his manager was never brought up with Benzema, as Deschamps stated: "The topic is closed." Since I won't address any of it again, it's a closed topic that we've moved past.
Mbappe led an unstoppable France to a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands in spite of the conflict.
The 24-year-old PSG striker not only scored two goals but also set up vice-captain Antoine Griezmann for the first strike.
It means that Mbappe, who was born just after France won their first World Cup in 1998 and was only a short stroll from the Stadium de France, had now scored 38 goals for the Blues.
With his two goals, he surpassed Benzema, who left France with 37, and is on track to surpass Olivier Giroud's record of 53.
Deschamps affirmed that he didn't have any different expectations for his top striker. He declared, "The captain's armband is not going to transform him." "He's getting involved and having fun."
He is working hard, much like his comrades. He occasionally switched places and was aware of how to make up for it.
He is the captain, yet he has already participated in matches like this. He shared the team's ambition to play well and win most importantly, as did the rest of them.
Hugo Lloris, a 36-year-old wounded goalie for Tottenham, and Raphael Varane, a 29-year-old from Manchester United, both bid France a tearful farewell during the Holland game.
Before the Holland match, they stood on the halfway line with their kids and were given a standing ovation by the audience.
Lloris, who has played in two World Cup finals and won one of them, is the most accomplished goalkeeper in French football history. He gave Mike Maignan the captain's armband and his No. 1 jersey.
A clean sheet and a penalty save by AC Milan player Maignan at the conclusion of the game showed how big of a threat France will be to Ireland in tomorrow's Euro match in Dublin.
Although the French camp was having fun, the Dutch dressing room had a quite different atmosphere.
The Oranje's second season under Ronald Koeman's leadership could not have begun worse, but they should be able to vent their frustration on Gibraltar in Rotterdam tomorrow.
Cody Gakpo of Liverpool, one of a select few Dutch players who missed the French thrashing due to illness, may recover, but Koeman, whoever steps into Koeman's shoes, insists: "I now expect a reaction."
Although the virus left its imprint, I don't want to use that as a justification. We are the ones that failed. We must take note of this.
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Cody Gakpo of Liverpool, one of a select few Dutch players who missed the French thrashing due to illness, may recover, but Koeman, whoever steps into Koeman's shoes, insists: "I now expect a reaction." 
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