Adrien Rabiot led France's response with a stunning header double as they overpowered Italy 3-1 at San Siro, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Nations League as the group leader.

Rabiot, who has been without a club since June and recently found a temporary home at Marseille, made a triumphant return to Italy where he spent five seasons playing for Juventus. His performance at San Siro, a stadium shared by Inter and AC Milan, was particularly poignant as he silenced the venue with his commanding presence and decisive headers, derailing Italy's aspirations.

France reacted vigorously in San Siro against an Italian team that had not lost in their last five matches, including one against this French team at Parc des Princes. The French team displayed superiority not seen in recent months, surpassing their performances at the Euro and the recent draw against Israel.

The pressure from France in the early minutes at San Siro was overwhelming, and it paid off in the 3rd minute. Rabiot rose above Buongiorno on a corner kick to overcome Vicario. Lucas Digne almost added a third with a direct free kick that struck the crossbar, the ball then hitting Vicario’s back to make it 2-0.

However, the French celebration was short-lived, lasting just two minutes, as Italy quickly responded. Dimarco sent a cross from the baseline to Cambiaso who easily netted at the far post, bringing Italy briefly back to the top of the group.

As Italy pressed forward, they struggled to find the goal that would mitigate their defeat and retain their lead. Moise Kean came closest, but Maignan made a crucial save. Nonetheless, the night belonged to Rabiot, whose standout performance secured the group leadership for France.