WORLD champions France booked their place at next year’s World Cup in Qatar in style as Kylian Mbappe fired in four goals in an 8-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.
Karim Benzema scored twice and there were further goals for Adrien Rabiot and Antoine Griezmann whose penalty marked his 42nd goal for France, taking him ahead of Michel Platini.
Only Thierry Henry (51) and Olivier Giroud (46) have scored more for France.
The French will be joined at the finals by neighbours Belgium as the world’s top-ranked team saw off Estonia 3-1 in Brussels to ensure top spot in Group E ahead of Gareth Bale’s Wales who beat Belarus 5-1 in Cardiff.
The Netherlands, who missed out on the 2018 World Cup, looked on course to join them as they led Montenegro 2-0 going into the last 10 minutes of their encounter in Podgorica.
However, the Dutch conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes to draw 2-2.
They still top Group G but are just two points ahead of Turkey and Norway.
On the sixth anniversary of the 2015 attacks in Paris which claimed the lives of 130 people, France put on a spectacular show for their supporters.
Mpappe set the ball rolling when he put the world champions ahead after just six minutes.
The Paris Saint-Germain star, playing on his home ground, added a second six minutes later and completed his first hat-trick for France with a thundering header just after the half-hour.
Leading 3-0 at the break, France turned up the heat even more in the second half as Benzema struck twice before Rabiot and Griezmann had their moments in the spotlight.
It was fitting that Mbappe had the final say, stroking home his fourth to complete the rout three minutes from time.
France top Group D, leaving Finland and Ukraine to scrap over second place.
“A World Cup is a dream, an aim, it’s everything and it’s a unique chance to play in a team that can win it. We’re going over there to win it,” Mbappe said.
Mbappe started for France in 2018 as they won their second World Cup title, beating Croatia in the final in Russia.
Meanwhile, Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk blasted his team’s second-half performance in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Montenegro as “awful” and “outrageous” as their World Cup hopes were left in the balance.
The Dutch would have qualified for the finals in Qatar next year with a win in Podgorica and they were well set after a Memphis Depay double gave them a 2-0 lead.
However, Ilija Vukotic marked his international debut with a goal in the 82nd minute to give the home side hope and four minutes later Nikola Vujnovic looped in a header to grab the draw.
“The way we played in the second half was just outrageous,” Liverpool star Van Dijk told Dutch broadcaster NOS.
“We always want to have the ball, we all want to play football, attack and score. But football is also knowing how to defend.
“That’s what we haven’t done tonight. Our organisation was just awful. We should have qualified here.”
The Dutch still head Group G but are just two points ahead of Turkey, who put six past Gibraltar.
They host Norway in Rotterdam on Tuesday in the final round of matches while Turkey travel to Montenegro.
“With all due respect to Montenegro, we should have won, certainly after taking a two-goal lead,” added Van Dijk.
“Now we will play against Norway on Tuesday in an empty stadium (due to Covid-19 restrictions). We must be much better than tonight.”
AFP
