IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - UEFA
Picture : Romelu Lukaku, who made a hat-trick in this game, has scored in 17 out of 18 last Euro & World Cup qualifiers for Belgium.
Statistics on Euro 2024 qualifiers of 24 March
*With the brace vs Netherlands (4-0), Kylian Mbappe entered the France all-time top 5 goal-scorers with 38 goals, ousting Karim Benzema (37) from there.
Olivier Giroud (53), Thierry Henry (51), Antoine Griezmann (43) and Michel Platini (41) are above him so far.
*Also, Mbappe got for the first time the leadership in the IFFHS ranking for the world’s best goal-scorers of 3rd decade of XXI century (2021-2030). Mbappe increased his decade tally to 120 goals in this decade leaving behind Robert Lewandowski with 118.
The Pole was the permanent leader in this contest during 2 years.
*Belgium, crashing Sweden 3-0, won their 15th consecutive Euro qualifier, equaling the longest winning run in such games, set by Czech Republic between 1995 and 2002.
*Lukaku increased his tally for Belgium to 71 goals, entering thus the European all-time top 5 national team goal-scorers.
Above him, only Cristiano Ronaldo (120), Ferenc Puskas (84), Robert Lewandowski (78) and Sándor Kocsis (75).
Miroslav Klose also has 71 goals but he concedes to Lukaku because of more appearances (Klose 137, Lukaku 105).
*Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become the oldest player in the history of Euro. At 41 years 172 days old, the Swedish striker appeared on the pitch in the 73rd minute vs Belgium.
Zlatan took over the record, which stood for almost 40 years, from Dino Zoff. The legendary Italy goalkeeper has played at the age of 41 years 90 days in a qualifier vs Sweden (0-2) on 29 May 1983.