Goals from Adrien Rabiot, Oliver Giroud and Kylian Mbappe saw France run out 2-1 winners against Australia in their first game of the Qatar World Cup.
The Socceroos led through Graig Goodwin in the opening 10 minutes with a goal that opened up the France defence, but a five minute period in which Les Bleus scored twice in the first half gave France a half time lead.
After the interval, Mbappe scored a goal that he had deserved with a header, and Giroud added his second in similar fashion minutes later.
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Story of the match
Giroud led the line for Les Bleus with Ballon D'Or winner Karim Benzema one of the many key players unavailable to Didier Deschamps through injury.
Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni partenered each other in the centre of midfield with France unable to call on N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba.
The pair had formed a vital component of the winning team in Russia four years ago.
Stoke City's Harry Souttar was fit enough to start in the centre of Australia's defence in front of former Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan.
Mathew Leckie started on the right flank, whilst Mitchell Duke spearheaded Graham Arnold's attack.
Ousmane Dembele started the game with pace and power, driving at The Socceroos' defence and picking out Mbappe on the other wing, who saw his ball into the box cleared.
Riley McGree had a shot from range, but his effort was tame and could not test Hugo Lloris in between the sticks for France.
Mbappe made a run from the left, but he was well marshalled by the Australian defence.
Australia's magic moment
Australia had a shock lead in the 9th minute when Craig Goodwin found himself on the end of Leckie's cross, firing in from close range into the top corner.
The two wingers had combined early on to create a special moment for The Socceroos.
In the build-up to the goal, France full back Lucas Hernandez went down and looked to be in agony, leaving the field with the support of the medical staff.
The injury added to France's injury woes and complied a miserable start to the tie for Les Bleus.
Mbappe flashed the ball across the box in search of an equaliser, but the cross was cleared.
Tchouameni looked to pick out Paris Saint-Germain's star striker, but the lofted pass was intercepted.
The Real Madrid midfielder adopted a more defensive role to head clear Leckie's cross a few minutes later.
Duke went desperately close from range to punishing a poor pass out the back from Theo Hernandez who had come on in place of his brother.
Duke lined up the shot having been gifted possession outside the area, lashing his shot narrowly over the bar.
France's rapid comeback
Antoine Griezmann thought he had his first sight of goal of the tie in the 26th minute, but Kye Rowles was on hand to send the ball behind for a corner.
It would not matter, as Rabiot levelled the game in the 27th minute, heading home a wonderful floated ball from Hernandez.
The ball had come from the second phase of play after the corner Griezmann had won.
Les Bleus were beginning to enjoy themselves with deep crosses into the box when Giroud headed narrowly over with time and space looking to put France in front.
The linesman's flag was raised against him, which must have been a relief for the AC Milan striker.
He had a tap in to complete the early turnaround in the 32nd minute, as Rabiot raced away to add an assist to his goal scored five minutes previously.
It was an easy cut back to Giroud in the end, who placed the ball into an empty net to score his 50th goal for his country and put France in front.
Dembele beat his man on the right and his cross fell to Giroud who fired the ball well over on the half-volley, missing a good chance to add to Les Bleus' lead and score a third in ten minutes.
Dembele had a shot of his own when Mbappe played the ball across the box, but he was not balanced and knocked the ball over the frame of the goal.
France were dominant as the match approached the interval, as Griezmann's effort went wide from the edge of the box.
The Atletico Madrid loanee teed up Mbappe, who had deserved a goal from his performance.
However, having been gifted a sitter by his teammate, he blazed the ball over, missing a superb chance to go into the break 3-1 up.
Australia had a chance to level, when McGree headed the ball onto the post in added time in the first half.
Whilst they had been second best, Australia had done a good job of exposing France's defensive frailties in the first half.
At the end of six minutes of additional time, Deschamps' side went into the interval leading 2-1having been behind after nine minutes.
Offensively it had been a good start from France, who had not quite been as successful at the back.
Tchouameni had a shot blocked from the edge of the box as he looked to double France's lead.
Giroud went for an acrobatic overhead kick seconds later, firing just wide in what would have been a goal of the tournament contender.
Duke was booked for a cynical foul on Dembele, with the striker struggling for the ball having had a lack of service since the early stages of the tie.
A floated ball looked to pick out Giroud, but he could not quite get his head on the end of the ball.
Rowles was on hand to make a brilliant challenge to deny Mbappe a one-on-one, having been set up by a wonderful flick on.
The resulting corner from the tackle was easily cleared by The Socceroos.
Nathaniel Atkinson made an important block to deny Mbappe, who had tried to beat his man with a dummy that proved ineffective.
Griezmann thought he had France's third goal, but the ball was cleared off the line after the shot had beaten Ryan.
It was Mbappe though that had the ball in the net from a cross seconds later.
It was a well-deserved goal from the young superstar, who was set up by Dembele, heading the ball in off the post to double France's lead in the 68th minute.
Giroud then equalled Thierry Henry's goal scoring record for France, moving onto 51 goals with a header.
Deschamp's side had completely turned the game around after a difficult start, with Giroud finishing once again to make the score line more convincing.
Substitute Kingsley Coman looked to play a ball into the box late on, but the quality of the pass let him down and Ryan was able to catch the cross.
The 30-year-old was then on hand to make a smart stop to deny Ibrahima Konate who headed goalward from a corner.
Full time saw France secure a comfortable victory having looked to be in trouble early on.
Les Bleus showed their attacking quality at the Al Janoub Stadium against Arnold's side.
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Player of the match
It was a contest between Mbappe and Giroud in truth, but the award had to go to the man that levelled the all-time record for the number of goals scored for France on the night.
Giroud looked deadly in front of goal, dispelling any worries about a drop in quality in the French front line without being able to call on Benzema.
The 36-year-old veteran even nearly added to his catalogue of stunning goals with the attempted overhead kick which went just wide.
The performance proved Giroud still has the capacity to perform at a high level despite his age.