Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Romelu Lukaku all scored twice to help France, Portugal, and Belgium qualify for Euro 2024 on Friday with perfect records in qualifying.
France
Mbappé’s two goals helped France secure a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in Amsterdam. He opened the scoring in just the seventh minute and doubled the lead in the 53rd minute. The Netherlands pulled one back through Quilindschy Hartman, but France held on for the win.
Portugal
Ronaldo’s two goals improved his tally of international goals to 125, leading Portugal to a 3-2 win over Slovakia. Gonçalo Ramos had given the hosts the lead, and Ronaldo doubled the advantage from the penalty spot. David Hancko pulled one back for Slovakia, but Ronaldo restored a two-goal advantage with a low cross from Bruno Fernandes. Stanislav Lobotka scored the second for Slovakia in the 80th, but Portugal had already done enough to secure qualification.
Belgium
Lukaku scored again and Dodi Lukebakio added two more for Belgium, which had to hang on with 10 men to beat Austria 3-2 in Vienna and secure advancement from Group F. Lukaku beat goalkeeper Alexander Schlager to make it 3-0 after collecting a precise pass from Jérémy Doku in the 58th, just three minutes after Lukebakio scored his second. Konrad Laimer pulled one back for Austria in the 72nd and Belgium then went down to 10 men six minutes later when midfielder Amadou Onana was sent off for a second booking. Marcel Sabitzer netted Austria’s second from the penalty spot in the 84th but the hosts couldn’t find an equalizer.
The qualification of France, Portugal, and Belgium for Euro 2024 is a sign of the strength of European football. All three teams are among the favorites to win the tournament, and their star strikers will be looking to add to their international goals tallies when the tournament kicks off in June 2024.
