The Hammers star thumped home a trademark set piece in off the post at the first game at the Stade de France since November's terror attacks

West Ham star Dimitri Payet caught the eye once more, this time in international colours, as he scored a stunning free kick to help France to a 4-2 victory over Russia.

The Hammers midfielder thumped a trademark set piece in off the post at the first game at the Stade de France since November's terror attacks.

Leicester anchorman N'Golo Kante was also on the scoresheet - opening his account for his country on his first start.

Having made his debut as a half-time substitute against the Netherlands on Saturday, he was thrust on from the beginning by Didier Deschamps this evening.

Kante finished smartly from inside the penalty area to score the first goal of what was an emotional night in Paris.

France's midfielder N'Golo Kante celebrates scoring the opening goal — On target: Kante celebrates his goal

Andre-Pierre Gignac doubled the advantage before the break, before Aleskandr Kokorin halved the deficit 11 minutes into the second half.

Then came Payet's strike, before Yuri Zhirkov pulled another back for the visitors. Bayern Munich youngster Kingsley Coman made the game safe for France.

Security was ramped up at the stadium as France prepares to host Euro 2016 in the wake of last autumn's tragic events.

Boss Didier Deschamps admitted before this evening that the attacks are still in the minds of the players.

“We’re not in a bubble; we are in contact with outside,” Deschamps said at a press conference.

“No one can forget it but we’re not talking about it. The players will have to become used to it, even if it’s magnified in the media.

Dimitri Payet celebrates scoring after firing home a stunning free-kick

“It is our stadium and I will not forget it. At one time it represented happiness, but that’s no longer the case.

"I wish that what happened did not, but what is the point in talking about it? Will it bring anything to the football match? We have to move forward.”

France 4-2 Russia: N'Golo Kante and Dimitri Payet among the scorers as Didier Deschamps' side seal victory in first home tie since Paris attacks

France made emotional return to Stade de France for first game since terror attacks in Paris last November
The attacks on the French capital claimed the lives of 130 people
Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante, who was celebrating 25th birthday, scored on full France debut
Andre-Pierre Gignac doubled France's advantage just before the break
Alexander Kokorin pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 56th-minute
West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet restored's France's two-goal cushion with stunning free-kick
Yuri Zhirkov got Russia back into the contest with strike 20 minutes before the final whistle
Kingsley Coman sealed the result for Didier Deschamps' side in the 76th-minute

Dimitri Payet had only been on the pitch a matter of moments when he stepped up to a dead ball in the 63rd minute of this game. It was nearly 37 yards from goal and firmly central.

This is Payet range. What happened next bordered on the inevitable. This was textbook Payet, the latest in a glorious catalogue of free-kick beauties. He sent it right-footed, sweeping with clinical curl and precision into the top right-hand corner of the Russian goal.

It was a stunning strike — a mirror image of the one that beat Manchester United’s David de Gea in the FA Cup — and the sheer majesty of his execution continues to draw gasps of awe from those watching on.

His former manager at Lille, Rudi Garcia, describes Payet as a 'pianist' in his set-piece approach - 'constant repetition and calm execution', he says - and Payet was once again in tune on Tuesday evening.

For much of this season, Payet has been considered an outcast for the French set-up, a character who failed to deliver when previously handed opportunities.

Didier Deschamps, however, has awarded him a final chance and on his 29th birthday, Payet provided conclusive evidence of his talent and must surely have gone a long way to confirming his place in the squad for Euro 2016. It doesn’t get much better than this, surely.

This was an evening of Premier League star turns. Leicester’s N’Golo Kante, awarded his full debut on what was also his 25th birthday, inscribed another chapter into his fairytale. Three years ago, he was toiling in France’s third division. Here in Saint-Denis, he powered the French midfield, outshining Paul Pogba and capping his debut with the opening goal.

Kante certainly impressed Deschamps, who said: ‘This is just the beginning. He is building on the momentum of what he has been doing with his club at international level. It’s good for him, and for the team.’

This was an uplifting occasion for France on an emotional evening. This was the first home game since that dreadful Friday evening last November, when their capital came under siege from terror attacks.

The threat remains, poignantly underlined by the solemn moment of silent reflection observed as the stadium paid tribute to last week's victims of yet more terrorist attacks in Brussels.

The off-field spirit was reflected by a France performance brimming with joy and adventure, even if Deschamps may be a little concerned that his side contrived to concede two goals to a Russian outfit which contributed little by way of cohesive attacking play.

On his first appearance at France HQ, Kante was at his biting best in the tackle and his usual jet-heeled self on the counter-attack.

By June, he will surely be a Champions League player, he may well be a Premier League champion and, on this evidence, he should be a formidable part of the France squad at Euro 2016. It is some story.

Amid heightened security, with armed police monitoring the approaches to the stadium, the palpable tension was still present. Two bag checks upon entering the stadium, thorough rub-downs, glances of uncertainty on the metro. Welcome to the new normal, where 1300 security agents are mobilised around the stadium, where teams of snipers are in place at all four corners of the stadium, where the elite police intervention unit, ‘RAID’, are put on stand-by to intervene inside the stadiums and on transport.

For one evening, though, Parisian defiance overcame the angst, filling out the stadium and so this was an uplifting night for Paris, an uplifting night for France and indeed an uplifting night for human courage.

The spirit was reflected by a France performance brimming with adventure. Kante scoring inside eight minutes, arriving at lung-busting speed to slot home after Andre-Pierre Gignac had combined with Antoine Griezmann. Gignac, staking his claim in the absence of Karim Benzema, doubled the lead shortly before half-time with a glancing header.

Russia briefly made it a contest in the second-half as Aleksandr Kokorin guided the ball home from close range but France swiftly responded, Payet whipping home the third.

Russia replied once more, as Yuri Zhirkov put the finishing touch to some intricate passing around the edge of the French penalty area.

The French, however, were by some distance the more enterprising side and restored the two-goal advantage their play deserve when Bayern Munich youngster Kingsley Coman confirmed the victory with a superbly executed fourth, bending a left-foot effort home.

Ultimately, this was to be France's night. The next time France play here, it will be the European Championships. It remains to be seen whether it will be France's summer.

MATCH FACTS

FRANCE: Lloris, Sagna, Varane, Sakho, Evra (Digne 54), Griezmann (Payet 62), Pogba (Sissoko 69), Diarra, Kante, Martial (Coman 45), Gignac (Giroud 79).

Subs not used: Mandanda, Jallet, Cabaye, Matuidi, Mathieu, Koscielny, Costil

Goals: Kante 8, Gignac 38, Payet 64, Coman 76

RUSSIA: Akinfeev (Lodygin 45), Kuzmin, Alexsei Berezutski, Vasili Berezutski, Zhirkov (Smolnikov 69), Dzjuba, Golovin (Glushakov 80), Dzagoev, Shirokov (Mamaev 70), Kokorin (Smolov 80), Shatov (Samedov 88)

Subs not used: Ignashevich, Kerzhakov, Ionov, Kombarov, Tarasov, Ivanov

Goals: Kokorin 56, Zhirkov 68

Referee: Craig Thomson (Scotland)