Fofana wore the no.17 shirt for Didier Deschamps’ side in Faro and helped his nation to a clean sheet against the European minnows.

It finished 3-0 to France. Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the third minute with his 54th international goal, set up by Kingsley Coman, and Kylian Mbappe doubled the French lead in first-half stoppage with a penalty awarded for handball. Shortly before that, Fofana had sent an effort wide.

As expected, France kept Gibraltar at arm’s length. They didn’t muster a shot on target all night. The 2022 World Cup runners-up added a third late on through an own goal, with Les Bleus also hitting the woodwork on three separate occasions.

France play Greece in another qualifier on Monday.

Mykhailo Mudryk laid on two assists as Ukraine completed a brilliant comeback away to North Macedonia in Group C of qualifying.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, Ukraine roared back into the contest with two goals in five minutes midway through the second half, the equaliser coming after a dazzling Mudryk run and cross down the left flank.

The hosts were then reduced to 10 men and Ukraine capitalised with seven minutes remaining, Mudryk’s brilliant curled delivery splitting the Macedonian defence open and finding Viktor Tsygankov, who headed in.

Ukraine host Malta on Monday. They were beaten 4-0 by England in Valletta tonight, Conor Gallagher an unused substitute for the Three Lions.

There was a shock for Wales as they lost 4-2 at home to Armenia. Ethan Ampadu played the full game at the base of midfield, with Wales ceding an early lead and ending the game with 10 men after Kiefer Moore was dismissed.

Switzerland survived a scare in Andorra, edging past the hosts 2-1 with loanee Denis Zakaria on the pitch for 74 minutes. They are top of Group I with maximum points from their first three games.

The hosts for next summer’s tournament Germany have of course automatically qualified so they played a friendly against Poland this evening, losing 1-0.

Kai Havertz played the full game up front but the Germans could not convert one of their 16 attempts. Poland had a solitary effort on goal and Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior found the net with it.