France began life as world champions with a goalless draw against previous World Cup winners Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich this evening.
The home side saw the lion's share of possession but found chances difficult to come by, with France having the better openings in the first half.
Les Bleus did need debutant goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on top form to keep Germany at bay in the second half, though, as their opening UEFA Nations League clash ended all square.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
It has been 53 days since France hoisted the World Cup trophy aloft and tonight sees them return to action for the first time since that historic match in Moscow.
It is a blockbuster way for the Nations League to get underway with the past two world champions meeting, and we will have a look at both a little later - as well as explaining exactly how this confusing new tournament works.
First, though, let's check out the team news!
Well, let's start with the home side, who are looking for a fresh start after their showing at the World Cup but still include plenty of familiar faces.
It will be interesting to see which formation Joachim Low goes for tonight as there are a few options with that personnel, including a back three or Kimmich moving into midfield.
Defenders Rudiger, Boateng and Ginter come into the team, while Thomas Muller also returns having been a notable absentee for that match against Korea.
That leaves Muller as the most experienced player in the Germany squad now, with 94 caps and 38 goals to his name.
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Sane was the most high-profile absentee from Germany's World Cup squad after a season which saw him named the PFA Young Player of the Year, but he has struggled for game time at Man City so far this season so it is no surprise to see him miss out tonight.
Didier Deschamps makes just one change from the XI that started the final against Croatia in Moscow, and that is an enforced one as captain Hugo Lloris misses out with a thigh injury.
Areola is one of two uncapped players in the squad, and the other is also a keeper with Benjamin Lecomte coming in. The three French keepers in this squad have just one cap between them.
The Chelsea striker has scored 31 goals in 81 appearances for France, and his presence is part of the reason behind the continued absence of Ousmane Dembele, despite the Barcelona striker's good start to the season.
There are star names throughout, including Antoine Griezmann of course, but the man most people will be looking forward to seeing tonight is one Kylian Mbappe - arguably the brightest young player to come through in a decade and one who looks capable of taking over the mantle of world's best player from Messi and Ronaldo when the time comes.
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It is a tournament which needs some explaining, though, so allow me to do so as best I can...
UEFA has split 55 European nations in four leagues based on the coefficient rankings from October 2017, with those four leagues them separated into four groups - in League A's case, four groups of three.
League A contains the highest-ranked teams - including France and Germany - while League D contains the lowest-ranked.
For League A, the winners of the four groups obviously cannot be promoted, so they go into a mini-tournament called the UEFA Nations League Finals in June next year. This consists of semi-finals, a third-placed playoff and a final, the winner of which will become the champions.
Twenty of the 24 teams at Euro 2020 will still qualify via the usual method - the top two in each of the 10 groups - but the final four qualifiers will come from the UEFA Nations League. The top-four ranked teams from each group who have not already qualified for the Euros will enter a playoff for their league, the winner of which will earn a spot at the tournament.
This means that one team from League A, League B, League C and League D are all guaranteed a place at the Euros via this method.
Here is a handy little video from UEFA to help explain it a little more...
These two sides have suffered such differing fortunes so far this year, and Germany's exit from the group stages of the World Cup must go down as one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history given how successful they always seem to be when the major moments come along.
However, defeats to Mexico and South Korea sealed their fate in the group stages, condemning the four-time world champions to a first-round exit for the first time since 1938.
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On-field embarrassment has turned to off-field allegations, with Mesut Ozil accusing the DFB of racism in an explosive retirement from international duty - comments which drew very mixed reactions from those inside German football.
Even before the World Cup Die Mannschaft were not at their best, and they go into this game with just two wins from their last nine international outings - a run which also includes four defeats.
Granted, Joachim Low could point at the fact that his side have also only lost one of their last 12 games on home soil, stretching back to May 2016, but the three games they have failed to win in that time have come in their last four home outings.
Les Bleus can travel to Munich full of confidence themselves, though, and there is sure to be a party atmosphere amongst their fans as the feelgood factor surrounding their World Cup triumph spreads into their first game since the final in Moscow.
Indeed, France could well be on the verge of a period of dominance in international football, having reached the finals of the past two major tournaments with a young squad blessed with extraordinary talent and frightening strength in depth.
Indeed, Les Bleus have also only lost one of their last 17 competitive fixtures, with that coming at the hands of Sweden during World Cup qualifying. This does, of course, count as a competitive fixture with the new format, so they will be eager to send a statement by continuing that good run away to Germany tonight.
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France were not entirely convincing in the group stages, needing another controversial penalty and own goal to scrape past Australia 2-1 and then only edging to victory over Peru. A goalless draw with Denmark then secured top spot for Les Bleus, setting up a last-16 showdown with Argentina.
Les Bleus were back to their perfunctory ways in victories to nil over Uruguay and Belgium - the latter of whom were particularly frustrated by the perceived anti-football played by Deschamps's side - before turning on the style again for the final against Croatia.
For all of the talent in the tea, it wasn't exactly Brazil 1970 this summer, but their ability to win in a variety of ways will continue to make them one of the best teams in world football for as long as it lasts.
It remains to be seen just how seriously the players take this tournament, but the team selections are strong and, at the end of the day, everybody wants to win. Germany (surely) cannot be as bad as they were at the World Cup, and there isn't as much between these two teams as Russia suggested. With home advantage also in Germany's favour, I am going for a score draw.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Germany 2-2 France
France have won seven of those and are unbeaten in the last three, winning two and drawing the most recent contest in Koln just under a year ago. Alexandre Lacazette scored twice for France in that game, giving them the lead on both occasions, but Werner and Stindl replied for Germany.
Antoine Griezmann got both of those goals - a penalty on the stroke of half time and a second in the 72nd minute - only to go on and lose to Portugal in the final.
Les Bleus have won 13 of those 29 contests, with Germany coming out on top 10 times and six of the games ending all square.
GERMANY STARTING XI: Neuer; Ginter, Boateng, Hummels, Rudiger; Kimmich, Kroos, Reus, Muller, Goretzka; Werner
FRANCE STARTING XI: Areola; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Pogba, Kante, Matuidi; Mbappe, Griezmann, Giroud
Elsewhere, Wales have doubled their advantage against Ireland courtesy of Gareth Bale.
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Rudiger is left unmarked from a corner but gets his header completely wrong, mistiming it and only steering it towards the back post. Hummels is there unmarked himself, but he cannot get his header on target from a tight angle either.
In all honesty it has not been a classic between the past two World Cup winners - certainly not befitting of the level of quality on show. Neither side have grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and it has all been a little slow and, dare I say, friendly-like so far.
Kante's cross into the box was met by Giroud, who powered a firm downward header towards the bottom corner which Neuer did well to turn away. Giroud also came close with an audacious flick right at the end of the half, but it hasn't been a vintage display from the visitors.
There was one half-chance from a corner for the visitors too when first Rudiger and then Hummels failed to get their desired impact on headers, but it has been very slim pickings in terms of goalmouth action so far.
Germany may have seen more of the ball in that first half, but France have had the most shots and more shots on target too. You can check out the full match stats by clicking here.
Lend us some goals, please!
That allows the French defence to get a foot in, but the ball then drops back to Hummels and his effort is too close to Areola.
Ginter meets the resulting corner with a firm header and he must think that he has scored, but Areola pulls off a stunning one-handed reaction stop to flick it behind for another corner!
Germany were the better side against the team who took their world title off them this summer, but France's Alphonse Areola proved to be their key man on his debut to keep things goalless.
Thanks you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's UEFA Nations League clash between Germany and France as the past two world champions play out a goalless draw in Munich! I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to check back in for plenty more international football to come this weekend.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!