Euro 2024 Qualifying Phase Highlights: Records, Surprises, and Stand-Out Performers

A card for the Blues

We didn’t expect much, initially, from this France – Gibraltar match. He was just supposed to serve the Blues to validate a seeded place for the draw for Euro 2024. But in the end, this meeting played at the Allianz Riviera in Nice will score. Because, thanks to this 14-0 victory, the Tricolores obtained their new largest victory in their entire history. They also became the first European team in history to score 14 goals in a qualifying match for a major competition (Euro + World Cup).

Portugal more than perfect

Led by their new coach, the Spaniard Roberto Martinez, the Portuguese have perfectly assumed their status as favorites of Group J by completing an absolutely remarkable journey. In ten matches played against Slovakia, Luxembourg, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Liechtenstein, they obtained 10 victories. The 2016 European champions finished with the best attack (36 goals, including 10 through Cristiano Ronaldo, always so clinical) and the best defense (2 goals conceded).

Cristiano Ronaldo

Credit: Getty Images

Historically Lukaku

Scorer in 7 of the 8 matches he played with Belgium, Romelu Lukaku finished top scorer in this qualifying phase for Euro 2024. He started this campaign with a hat-trick against Sweden and concluded it with a quadruple against Azerbaijan. Which allowed him to become the very first player in history to achieve such a total of goals in a single qualifying phase for a Euro.

Romelu Lukaku wandered during Belgium-Azrbaijan

Credit: Getty Images

The Albanian surprise

The nice surprise of this qualifying phase for Euro 2024 came from Albania. The Nation, led by the short-lived OL coach, Sylvinho, managed to finish at the top of Group E, ahead of the Czech Republic. With 15 points, the Albanians completed their best qualifying phase. This is better than the 14 units collected during the qualifiers for Euro 2016. They will thus participate in their second European competition, eight years after the one organized in France.

Fernandes, master smuggler

Bruno Fernandes finished as the best passer in this qualifying phase for Euro 2024. The Manchester United midfielder delivered 7 offerings to his Portuguese teammates. In detail, he gave a decisive pass in March against Luxembourg, in June against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Then he scored a hat-trick of assists against Luxembourg in September and a double against Slovakia in October. He served Cristiano Ronaldo twice, Gonçalo Inacio twice, Gonçalo Ramos once, Diogo Jota once and Bernardo Silva once.

Zero points

Zero points. This is the unenviable record obtained by five Nations during these qualifications for Euro 2024 played throughout the year 2023. Cyprus (8 out of 8), Gibraltar (8 out of 8), Malta (8 out of 8), San Marino (10 out of 10) and Liechtenstein (10 out of 10) finished in last place in their group having lost all their matches. The Gibraltar players were the only ones who failed to score a single goal.

2023-11-21 23:02:00
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