France, Italy Win Openers in 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers

France began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine, featuring goals from Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé, whose 51st international goal tied him with Thierry Henry as France's second all-time top scorer. The match took place in neutral Poland, with Mbappé's late goal securing the win and providing France an early lead in Group D. Meanwhile, Italy rebounded from a prior defeat by defeating Estonia 5-0, with impactful second-half goals from Mateo Retegui, Moise Kean, Giacomo Raspadori, and Alessandro Bastoni under new coach Gennaro Gattuso. Italy currently sits third in Group I, trailing leaders Norway and closely followed by Israel, who themselves won 4-0 against Moldova. Both teams have crucial upcoming fixtures, with France set to face Iceland and Italy preparing for a decisive match against Israel. Additional European qualifiers saw strong performances from teams such as Greece, Switzerland, and Croatia, highlighting a competitive start to the qualification process.