France captain Kylian Mbappe after breaking his nose during the Euro 2024 Group D match against Austria. AFP
France captain Kylian Mbappe after breaking his nose during the Euro 2024 Group D match against Austria. AFP
France captain Kylian Mbappe after breaking his nose during the Euro 2024 Group D match against Austria. AFP
France captain Kylian Mbappe after breaking his nose during the Euro 2024 Group D match against Austria. AFP

Euro 2024 takeaways: Bad break for Mbappe, brilliant Bellingham, X-rated Scotland


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Porteous horror challenge sums up X-rated Scots

It was an opening game of the tournament that could not have gone any worse for Steve Clarke's hapless Scotland. With the eyes of the world watching as they took on tournament hosts Germany, the Scots were swept aside in a humiliating 5-1 defeat.

They were two goals down in 20 minutes in Munich as Germany ran riot, with their problems intensifying just before half time when Ryan Porteous attempted to separate Ilkay Gundogan from one of his legs with a horrific mistimed two-footed lunge in the Scotland penalty area.

The inevitable red card for Porteous was compounded by Kai Havertz scoring the ensuing penalty to make it 3-0. Two more goals followed with even Scotland's consolation effort coming from an Antonio Rudiger own goal.

Watford defender Porteous is now banned for the next two Group A games against Switzerland, on Wednesday, and Hungary four days later.

“It is something that Ryan will learn, but [it was] an honest challenge to try to get the ball, to try to stop a goalscoring opportunity so I wouldn’t be too hard on him,” said Clarke.

“He was one of my cuddles. I explained the situation. It doesn’t look good. Ryan … is very down, as you would expect, but we will pick him up, don’t worry about that.”

Bad break for Mbappe as France start with win

The opening game did not go according to plan for Kylian Mbappe either, despite tournament favourites France securing a 1-0 victory over Austria.

Real Madrid-bound Mbappe was left with a bloody and swollen nose after a collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso's shoulder as he attempted a header during the Group D match at Dusseldorf Arena on Monday. He was forced off in the 90th minute and taken to hospital where a break was confirmed.

“He is in a bad way. He is not well. His nose is a mess, that's for sure. That is the black mark of the evening for us,” France manager Didier Deschamps said of Mbappe, who has scored 47 goals in 80 appearances for France and had helped provide the only goal of the game when his cross was turned into his own net by Max Wober.

On Tuesday, the French Football Federation (FFF) revealed that Mbappe – one the tournament's headline acts who will be crucial to his country's hopes of becoming European champions for a third time – will not need surgery but will have to wear a protective mask for his next appearance.

However, the FFF did not reveal whether he will be fit enough to play in France's second game against the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday.

Brilliant Bellingham continues super season

Jude Bellingham, another one of the expected star turns in Germany, showed no signs that his magnificent season will be coming to an end any time soon.

Like fellow tournament favourties France, England won their opening game – against Serbia 1-0 when Real Madrid's newest superstar scored a flying header to secure his team all three points.

Bellingham, 20, went into the tournament having helped secured the double in his first season at Madrid as well as scooping up the La Liga player of the year award.

And Bellingham ran the show on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen, despite Serbia's best attempts to kick him out of the game, with opposition striker Aleksandar Mitrovic describing him after the match as “one of the best players, if not the best player in the world at the moment”.

For all Bellingham's undoubted qualities, manager Gareth Southgate said other England stars will have to step up if they are to win the tournament. “Not every player can star in every game,” said the coach, whose team face Denmark on Thursday. “What’s important is that different people pop up with the moments like Jude did.”

  • Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring England's winner against Serbia in the Euro 2024 Group C match in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, 2024. AFP
    Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring England's winner against Serbia in the Euro 2024 Group C match in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, 2024. AFP
  • England's Jude Bellingham celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring the only goal of the game against Serbia. AFP
    England's Jude Bellingham celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring the only goal of the game against Serbia. AFP
  • England midfielder Jude Bellingham scores against Serbia. AFP
    England midfielder Jude Bellingham scores against Serbia. AFP
  • England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen. AFP
    England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen. AFP
  • Declan Rice battles with Aleksandar Mitrovic. AP
    Declan Rice battles with Aleksandar Mitrovic. AP
  • England's Jude Bellingham in action. Reuters
    England's Jude Bellingham in action. Reuters
  • Jude Bellingham heads home for England. Getty Images
    Jude Bellingham heads home for England. Getty Images
  • Italian referee Daniele Orsato shows Serbia's midfielder Nemanja Gudelj a yellow card for fouling Jude Bellingham. AFP
    Italian referee Daniele Orsato shows Serbia's midfielder Nemanja Gudelj a yellow card for fouling Jude Bellingham. AFP
  • Serbia manager Dragan Stojkovic. AFP
    Serbia manager Dragan Stojkovic. AFP
  • Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic pushes a header from England captain Harry Kane against the crossbar. AFP
    Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic pushes a header from England captain Harry Kane against the crossbar. AFP
  • England forward Harry Kane beats Milos Veljkovic to a header only for the crossbar to come to Serbia's rescue. AFP
    England forward Harry Kane beats Milos Veljkovic to a header only for the crossbar to come to Serbia's rescue. AFP
  • England's forward Harry Kane shows his frustration. AFP
    England's forward Harry Kane shows his frustration. AFP
  • England's midfielder Jude Bellingham passes the ball. AFP
    England's midfielder Jude Bellingham passes the ball. AFP
  • Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford of England reacts. EPA
    Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford of England reacts. EPA
  • England's manager Gareth Southgate on the touchline. AP
    England's manager Gareth Southgate on the touchline. AP
  • Dusan Vlahovic of Serbia takes a shot. Getty Images
    Dusan Vlahovic of Serbia takes a shot. Getty Images
  • England's Harry Kane heads the ball against the bar. AP
    England's Harry Kane heads the ball against the bar. AP

Spain shine while teen prodigy Yamal makes mark

While France and England could only edge to their respective wins, Spain produced an impressive performance to brush aside Croatia 3-0 in Berlin.

It was a match that saw Barcelona's Yamine Lamal make history by becoming the youngest player in European Championship history at the age of 16 years and 338 days in a match that saw captain Alvaro Morata score the first of three goals in the opening 45 minutes.

Teen prodigy Yamal was then involved in the build-up to Fabian Ruiz putting Spain two up, supplied the cross for Dani Carvajal to make it three and was only denied a goal himself by an excellent save by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Despite the impressive victory, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was determined not to get carried away. “I am very pleased,” De la Fuente said. “But in five days we have such an important game, against Italy. We have to just stay calm and be professional, because staying calm is power.”

Blow for Belgium and luckless Lukaku

It was a night to forget for Belgium and their record-goalscorer Romelu Lukaku as the Red Devils fell to a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Slovakia in Frankfurt on Monday.

Ivan Schranz's first-half goal earned the Slovakians, 48th in the Fifa rankings, victory over Belgium, ranked third having not lost for 15 games.

A mixture of poor finishing and the intervention of VAR prevented Lukaku from adding to his 85 goals for Belgium, who now need to pick themselves up for their second Group E game against Romania on Saturday.

While he can have no arguments about being caught narrowly offside for the first, the 31-year-old striker can feel aggrieved when his late goal was ruled out by a harsh handball decision given against Lois Openda in the build-up before setting up the chance.

“I want to be at least a good, fair loser,” Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco said about the match officials, who initially let both goals stand. “We trust these guys. We just have to accept it.”

  • Slovakia's Ivan Schranz celebrates with teammates after scoring the only goal of the game against Slovakia in the Euro 2024 Group E clash at the Frankfurt Arena on June 17, 2024. AFP
    Slovakia's Ivan Schranz celebrates with teammates after scoring the only goal of the game against Slovakia in the Euro 2024 Group E clash at the Frankfurt Arena on June 17, 2024. AFP
  • Slovakia players celebrate after the match. Getty Images
    Slovakia players celebrate after the match. Getty Images
  • Slovakia players celebrate after defeating Belgium. Getty Images
    Slovakia players celebrate after defeating Belgium. Getty Images
  • Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku saw two goals disallowed against Slovakia and also missed several other chances. AFP
    Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku saw two goals disallowed against Slovakia and also missed several other chances. AFP
  • Ivan Schranz, second right, celebrates with his Slovakia teammates after scoring. EPA
    Ivan Schranz, second right, celebrates with his Slovakia teammates after scoring. EPA
  • Referee Umut Meler looks at the pitchside monitor before deciding to disallow Romelu Lukaku's late goal for Belgium. Getty Images
    Referee Umut Meler looks at the pitchside monitor before deciding to disallow Romelu Lukaku's late goal for Belgium. Getty Images
  • A big screen at the game shows the VAR decision given against Belgium after Romelu Lukaku scored. EPA
    A big screen at the game shows the VAR decision given against Belgium after Romelu Lukaku scored. EPA
  • Ivan Schranz finishes past past Belgium keeper Koen Casteels and puts Slovakia into an early lead. Reuters
    Ivan Schranz finishes past past Belgium keeper Koen Casteels and puts Slovakia into an early lead. Reuters
  • Belgium winger Jeremy Doku under pressure from Ondrej Duda of Slovakia. Getty Images
    Belgium winger Jeremy Doku under pressure from Ondrej Duda of Slovakia. Getty Images
  • Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka saves from Belgium's Romelu Lukaku in the first few minutes of the game. AP
    Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka saves from Belgium's Romelu Lukaku in the first few minutes of the game. AP
  • Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels makes a save in the first half. EPA
    Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels makes a save in the first half. EPA
  • Belgium's Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review. AFP
    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review. AFP
  • Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores in the second half but the goal was disallowed for offside. AFP
    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores in the second half but the goal was disallowed for offside. AFP
  • Belgium's Romelu Lukaku goes round Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka but failed to score. AP
    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku goes round Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka but failed to score. AP
  • Ivan Schranz scores for Slovakia. EPA
    Ivan Schranz scores for Slovakia. EPA
  • Ivan Schranz celebrates with teammates after scoring for Slovakia. Reuters
    Ivan Schranz celebrates with teammates after scoring for Slovakia. Reuters
  • Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku of shoots straight at Martin Dubravka of Slovakia. Getty Images
    Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku of shoots straight at Martin Dubravka of Slovakia. Getty Images
Updated: June 19, 2024, 6:54 AM