Kylian Mbappé returned to World Cup action on Friday, scoring a goal in France’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine in their 2026 World Cup qualifying match in neutral Poland. This marked France’s and Mbappé’s first World Cup appearance since his hat trick in the 2022 final loss to Argentina.In the 82nd minute, Mbappé showcased his speed and skill to get past Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi, extending the lead after Michael Olise’s 10th-minute opener.“We had a lot to lose so it’s very good to begin the qualifying campaign with this victory,” France coach Didier Deschamps told broadcaster TF1.In the same group, Iceland secured a 5-0 home victory against Azerbaijan and will face France in Paris on Tuesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Italy, seeking to end their World Cup absence since 2014, earned a crucial 5-0 home win over Estonia. The four-time champions have never faced Mbappé in a World Cup.Italy stayed in contention with group leader Norway, breaking through in the 58th minute with Moise Kean’s header after 20 attempts. Israel defeated Moldova 4-0 in the same group.Switzerland and Greece dominated their qualifying matches, both establishing four-goal advantages by halftime. Switzerland defeated Kosovo 4-0, while Greece overcame Belarus 5-1, featuring a quick goal from 17-year-old Kostas Karetsas.Slovenia managed a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw with Sweden, who kept Liverpool signing Alexander Isak on the bench.Croatia secured a narrow 1-0 victory at the Faeroe Islands, while group leaders Czech Republic won 2-0 at Montenegro.Denmark and Scotland played to a scoreless draw, as Greece took the group lead.The top teams from the 12 European qualifying groups will advance directly to the finals in North America, with runners-up entering playoffs in March.Mbappé’s goal matched Thierry Henry‘s career total of 51 goals for France, achieving this in 32 fewer games. Only Olivier Giroud leads with 57 goals.“Big up, Titi. But I want to overtake you now,” Mbappé quipped. “No, it’s an honor.”The goal came from a long pass by Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, leading to Mbappé outmaneuvering PSG’s new signing Zabarnyi.PSG faced a setback when Ousmane Dembélé left with an apparent hamstring injury, just before their Champions League title defense.France survived a challenging period in the second half. Ibrahima Konaté made a crucial goalline clearance against Artem Dovbyk’s header, followed by Ukraine hitting the post.The match took place in Wroclaw, Poland, due to security concerns in Ukraine during the Russian invasion.In his debut as Italy’s coach following Luciano Spalletti’s departure, Gennaro Gattuso’s team initially struggled against Estonia.Italy finally broke through when Moise Kean scored with a header near the hour mark. Argentina-born Mateo Retegui added two goals at his former home stadium.Italy will face Israel in Hungary before Norway hosts Moldova. The group’s automatic qualification spot could be decided when Italy meets Norway in Milan on November 16.Switzerland dominated their qualifying group opener against Kosovo in Basel. Manuel Akanji opened the scoring with a header, while Breel Embolo contributed two goals, including an impressive backheel finish before halftime.
