France recorded their biggest-ever victory with a 14-0 rout of 10-man Gibraltar in a Euro 2024 Group B qualifier on Saturday as Kylian Mbappe grabbed a hat trick and Warren Zaire-Emery scored on his debut.
The margin of victory was also a record for European Championship qualification matches or a World Cup, surpassing Germany’s 13-0 win against San Marino in 2006.
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“Being down to 10, already with 11 it’s complicated for them, but it doesn’t take away the credit for us even if we could have been more efficient, it’s as much about respecting the opponent as scoring goals,” France manager Didier Deschamps said. “Fourteen is not bad.”
France were 7-0 up by half-time with Marcus Thuram, Zaire-Emery, Mbappe, Jonathan Clauss, Kingsley Coman and Youssouf Fofana on the scoresheet after they had taken the lead through a third-minute own goal.
France had already secured top spot in the group and qualification, and manager Didier Deschamps handed 17-year-old Zaire-Emery his debut, making him the youngest France player since 1914.
The teenager became the youngest scorer for France since that date with his goal in the 16th minute — a mark previously held by Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid — but he was caught on his ankle by Ethan Santos. The Gibraltar defender was sent off and Zaire-Emery’s debut came to a premature end.
With Gibraltar reduced to 10 men, France’s biggest ever win, 10-0 over Azerbaijan in 1995, was clearly within sight.
Adrien Rabiot and Coman’s second brought the record closer and Ousmane Dembele made it 10-0 before Mbappe scored twice to complete his hat trick, his third a delightful long-range effort after he spotted the keeper off his line.
Mbappe overtook Antoine Griezmann to move into third place on France’s all-time scorers list on 46 goals and he is now only five behind Thierry Henry.
Substitute Olivier Giroud got in on the act with two late goals to complete the demolition job, taking him on to 56 goals for his country.
France have won all seven group games and will look to maintain that perfect record when they travel to face Greece on Tuesday.
“We’re going to enjoy what we did tonight, we’re not going to Greece to go for a ride. It’s a new goal,” Deschamps said.
“Tonight was a perfect night aside from Warren’s injury, but it’s not a big deal, it could have been worse. We were worried because the ankle flared up quickly.
“Scans showed there is no fracture, but it’s a pretty big sprain. I’m sure he’d rather remember his first appearance for his goal than for anything negative.”
Gibraltar, who suffered their heaviest ever loss, have yet to score in the qualifying group and end their campaign with a home game against the Netherlands who secured qualification with a 1-0 win over Ireland on Saturday.