France and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi has put his new-found proficiency in front of goal down to playing with some of the best attacking players in the world.
Matuidi, 28, scored both goals in France's 2-1 win over Serbia on Monday -- the second of which was a breathtaking volley from outside the box that was clocked at 105 kilometres an hour.
"It was a nice goal," he told reporters in Bordeaux. "I saw the ball arriving and I just said that I had to get it on target -- to strike it well and to get it on target.
"That's what happened -- next time it might end up in the stands. I'm happy because the team won and that's what matters."
Pour le plaisir, la volée mémorable de @MATUIDIblaise ! Juste splendide! #FRASER 2-1 https://t.co/CDoPkj8utM
- Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) September 7, 2015
Matuidi put the Euro 2016 hosts ahead after nine minutes with a well-taken header before his stunning second on 25 minutes -- a strike that bettered even his acrobatic finish in a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in March 2014.
The all-action central midfielder, who now has six goals in 37 matches for France, has been in virtually unstoppable form this season. Matuidi's brace in Bordeaux added to two goals and two assists he got in PSG's first four league games.
The former Troyes and Saint-Etienne player believes he is benefiting from rubbing shoulders with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Karim Benzema at club and international level.
"At training I'm lucky to be beside some great players who force me to approach perfection," he said. "They're players with great talent who work hard. I'm learning a lot from them.
"I'm lucky to be playing with attackers who score more than 30 goals a season. When you play alongside guys like that, you can only get better."
France coach Didier Deschamps hailed Matuidi's contribution, suggesting that he had been pleasantly surprised by his improvement.
"Since the start of the season, he's been incredibly effective in attack," the former Monaco and Marseille boss said. "He's confident and you can feel that. His shots are on target and he scored two lovely goals today.
"He's moving up another level. In his role as a ball-winner, his workrate, he's always had that and he will always have that. When he brings this precision and an attacking efficiency, it'll do us good."