France is seen as one of the favourites to win the tournament in Germany, having reached the final at three of its last four major competitions, finishing as runner-up at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup either side of winning the 2018 World Cup.

Netherlands and Poland are also present in a tricky group, with Ronald Koeman's Oranje getting off the mark with a 2-1 win when those sides met on Monday.

Though Deschamps is keen to see France match that fast start, Les Bleus' experience at the Qatar World Cup proved it is not a necessity.

A Kylian Mbappe hat-trick in the final of that tournament was not enough to prevent France from losing to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, which had opened its campaign with a stunning 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.

"The first match is very important, but not decisive," Deschamps said. "Starting with a win… there is nothing better, Austria will think the same.

"Negotiating this first match well would put us in a good position, but there is no one way to do it, look at Argentina!

"This is the competition, we made sure with all the staff that they had all the information. The common trait between all the matches is that the intensity is very high. 

"Austria have this strength, they use verticality well. We will have to be ready to get the result we want."

France's Euro 2024 preparations have been overshadowed by political events in the country, with forwards Marcus Thuram and Mbappe both choosing to speak out ahead of parliamentary elections to take place in the coming weeks.

With Marine Le Pen's National Rally party expected to fare well, Thuram said the situation was "sad". 

Mbappe, meanwhile, used the pre-match press conference to say: "I hope we'll still be proud to wear this jersey on 7 July."

Deschamps is not concerned about such matters distracting his players and never considered advising them against airing their views. 

"I consider that my intervention would be inappropriate. I could have said, 'given the situation, guys, focus on the sport', as if I forbade them to speak," he said.

"I didn't. They are men, French citizens, with their own sensitivities. When they are on the pitch, they are focused on the sporting objectives, but not disconnected from what can happen."