Euro 2024 qualifiers: Captain Kylian Mbappe scores brace as ...

Kylian Mbappe started his reign as France's captain with a brace as the 2022 World Cup runners-up started their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win over Netherlands. Mbappe was the star of the show as France scored three goals in the first half of the match.

Mbappe started his reign as captain with a brace (Courtesy: Reuters)

By India Today Sports Desk: New France captain Kylian Mbappe started his tenure with a brace as Les Blues thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 in their opening match of the Euros 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday, 24th March.

Mbappe, who was appointed as the new France captain after Hugo Lloris' international retirement, was the star of the show in front of the home crowd as the 2022 Qatar World Cup runners-up played their first match after the final last year.

The home team got off the blocks quickly as Antoine Griezmann put them in front in the second minute of the match after being set up by Mbappe.

Dayot Upamecano then doubled in the eighth minute to put France in cruise control of the contest. Mbappe would then put himself on the scoresheet in the 21st minute in a first-half blitz that blew away the Netherlands and gave them no chance of mounting a comeback.

Mbappe would then wrap up the match in the 88th minute to make it 4-0. The Netherlands had a chance to pull one goal through a stoppage-time penalty. However, Memphis Depay's attempt was saved Mike Maignan to sum up the Dutch's night on the day.

Mbappe spoke after the match and said, as quoted by Reuter, that it felt great as they didn't concede a goal in the game. The France captain said that Maignan is someone who doesn't like to concede and was happy that the new No.1 for the team got a clean sheet.

Mbappe said that the French team prepared themselves by saying that they couldn't disappoint the fans.

"It's great," said Mbappe. "We didn't want to concede a goal so everyone is happy. Mike doesn't like to concede goals and for his first time as number one, he got a clean sheet.

"We're all behind him. We prepared ourselves saying we couldn't disappoint the fans for this first game here after the World Cup."