France demolished 10-man Gibraltar 14-0 at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, in Euro 2024 qualifying to record their biggest-ever victory, as teenager Warren Zaire-Emery scored on his debut and Kylian Mbappe struck from 40 yards.
An own goal on three minutes gave France an early lead before Marcus Thuram and then 17-year-old Zaire-Emery – France’s youngest player since 1914 – struck on his debut to make it 3-0 before hobbling off with an ankle injury.
Gibraltar were reduced to 10 men when Ethan Santos was dismissed for a nasty challenge on Zaire-Emery as he swept the ball into the net.
Mbappe scored a penalty on the half-hour mark to spark a flurry of four goals in seven minutes, with Jonathan Clauss, Kingsley Coman and Youssouf Fofana all on target as France headed for the break seven goals in front.
Adrien Rabiot became the sixth different goal scorer of the match when he scored the first goal of the second half, and Coman quickly added his second and France’s ninth after a well-worked move with Mbappe.
Ousmane Dembele came off the bench to drill home goal number 10, and then a minute later, Mbappe scored a second as he opened up his body to steer Theo Hernandez’s cross in at the near post.
Mbappe thought he had his third assist of the match when Olivier Giroud, who also came off the bench, swept his pass beyond Dayle Coleing, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
However, Mbappe sealed his hat-trick minutes later with the goal of the game. He won the ball on the halfway line, lifted his head and noticed Coleing off his line. The captain struck from 40 yards out and watched as the ball sailed over the goalkeeper’s head.
Giroud eventually got on the score sheet when he scored twice in the dying minutes.
France remain perfect in qualifying with seven wins in as many games and play Greece in their next match.
