France achieved a historic 14-0 triumph over Gibraltar in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, marking a new record margin of victory in European qualifying and a national record.
The match took place in Nice, where Kylian Mbappe showcased his prowess by scoring a hat-trick.
The onslaught began with an own goal by Ethan Santos and a contribution from Marcus Thuram. Seventeen-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery added to the tally before being forced off the field due to an ankle injury.
A red card for Santos in the 18th minute paved the way for France to dominate the game.
Mbappe extended the lead with a penalty, followed by goals from Jonathan Clauss, Kingsley Coman, and Youssouf Fofana before halftime.
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The scoring spree continued in the second half, with Adrien Rabiot, Coman, and Ousmane Dembele finding the net.
Mbappe secured his hat-trick with two stylish goals, including a lob from just inside the Gibraltar half, marking his 300th career goal at the age of 24.
Olivier Giroud, coming off the bench, sealed the historic victory with the final two goals.
The lopsided scoreline raises questions about the necessity of such matchups between football giants and minnows, especially in a congested fixture calendar.
France coach Didier Deschamps emphasized the team’s ambition, stating, “We did everything to make this score happen.”
In another Euro 2024 qualifier, the Netherlands secured qualification from Group B alongside France with a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.
Wout Weghorst’s powerful drive proved to be the decisive goal in Amsterdam.