LONDON: While Cristiano Ronaldo kept moving up Europe’s all-time scorers list on Saturday, a demoralizing loss to Bulgaria endangered the Netherlands’ World Cup qualification.
With two goals in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Hungary, Ronaldo moved into fourth place on the all-time scorers list for European nations.
Ronaldo’s 70 in 137 appearances trail only Miroslav Klose (71), Sandor Kocsis (75) and Ferenc Puskas (84).
Here is a look at World Cup qualifiers in Europe:
GROUP A
Teenager Matthijs de Ligt’s dream debut for the Netherlands quickly turned into a nightmare as he handed Bulgaria an early goal.
Just five minutes into the match De Ligt let a speculative ball fall over his shoulder before he collided with goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, allowing Spas Delev to tap in.
Delev made it 2-0 in the 20th when he curled a shot past De Ligt’s attempted block and into the bottom corner of Zoet’s goal.
Injuries had forced coach Danni Blind to make the risky choice of De Ligt who, at 17, became the youngest Netherlands debutant since Mauk Weber in 1931.
After the stunning loss, the manager took the blame.
“I blame myself,” Blind told national broadcaster NOS, adding that, “It can’t go on like this. Things have to change.”
The Netherlands, which failed to qualify for the European Championship last year, looks likely to struggle to reach the World Cup in Russia.
France stayed on top of the group with 13 points after beating Luxembourg 3-1 thanks to Olivier Giroud’s double and a penalty by Antoine Griezmann.
Sweden is second with 10 points after thrashing Belarus 4-0. The Netherlands slid to fourth with seven points, behind Bulgaria with nine.
GROUP B
Ronaldo appears to have found his ideal partner up front for in Andre Silva.
The 21-year-old striker scored Portugal’s opener in the 32nd before quickly getting Ronaldo on track.
Ronaldo struck both goals from outside the area, first slashing home a left-footer off Silva’s pass, followed by a right-footed free kick from an angle to seal the win in Lisbon.
“We started off slowly, but the first goal gave our confidence a boost and the other goals came naturally,” Ronaldo told Portuguese television.
Portugal strengthened its hold on second place with 12 points, opening a gap over Hungary, which stayed with seven points in third.
Switzerland earned a fifth win in as many matches after beating Latvia 1-0 to remain on top of the group with 15 points.
Still stuck at the foot of the table, Andorra nevertheless savored the end to a losing streak that had lasted 58 competitive matches stretching over 11 years after drawing with Faroe Islands 0-0.
GROUP H
Romelu Lukaku saved Belgium’s place at the top of Group H, snatching a 1-1 draw in Brussels after being frustrated all night by an unyielding Greece defense. Lukaku chested down the fall and fired past goalkeeper Stefano Kapino with only two minutes of regular time remaining.
Greece finished the game with nine men, but surprised the favorites just 20 seconds into the second half when Costas Mitroglou caught defenders off guard and scored.
Belgium was left with 13 points to Greece’s 11.
Bosnia closed to 10 points after a 5-0 rout of Gibraltar with zero points. Estonia and Cyprus have four points each after a 0-0 draw.
Ronaldo nets 70-goal milestone, Dutch stunned in World Cup qualifiers
Ronaldo nets 70-goal milestone, Dutch stunned in World Cup qualifiers
Emirati driver Amna Al-Qubaisi set for historic Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
- The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend
DUBAI: When the UAE’s Amna Al-Qubaisi lines up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, she will once again make motorsport history.
The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, from March 13 to 15.
Al-Qubaisi will join a highly competitive 30-driver grid from across Asia and beyond in one of the region’s leading GT racing championships.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia features drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, placing a strong emphasis on driver skill, precision and consistency throughout the season.
For Al-Qubaisi, the milestone represents another step forward in a career that has already seen her break barriers for Emirati and Arab drivers in international motorsport.
“The competition is incredibly strong, which makes it even more exciting,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News ahead of the race weekend.
“My approach is to stay focused on my own development, work closely with my team, and maximize every session.
“It’s my first time competing in this car and on tracks I’ve never been to before. In a field like this, every small improvement makes a difference, so consistency, preparation and learning quickly are key.”
The Shanghai race weekend will also mark Al-Qubaisi’s first experience racing at the circuit, where Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as a support race to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.
The Emirati driver has had limited time to prepare. “I wasn’t able to go back to the country and do simulator work, so I manually watched onboard footage and made notes of the circuit.
“It’ll be my first time racing in Shanghai and we’re the support race with Formula One, so I’m really looking forward to learning and enjoying the weekend.”
One of the biggest challenges this season will be adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which demands a different driving style compared with the machinery Al-Qubaisi raced earlier in her career.
“The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the car,” she explained.
“I’m very used to single-seaters and prototypes, so moving into a heavier car with less downforce means the driving style is very different. It’s all about adapting and trying to make the most out of the car.”
Al-Qubaisi has been a pioneer for women in motorsport in the region since the early stages of her racing journey.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a single-seater race, claiming victory in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy round at Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
She later competed in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship, and F1 Academy, where she secured two race wins in 2023 and finished sixth in the overall standings.
More recently, Al-Qubaisi began transitioning toward sportscar and endurance racing. In 2025, she competed in the Ligier European Series with Group Virage alongside her sister Hamda Al-Qubaisi, where the pair secured three podium finishes during their rookie season.
Her move into Porsche Carrera Cup Asia follows her selection into the Porsche Talent Pool Asia, where she became the first Arab, and Arab female driver, to join the development program.
The championship calendar will take drivers across several of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Fuji Speedway, Sepang International Circuit, the Bangsaen street circuit in Thailand and Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
While each venue presents a unique challenge, one track in particular stands out for Al-Qubaisi. “It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all incredible circuits,” she said.
“Fuji and Sepang are legendary tracks with a lot of history, but Singapore is definitely very exciting because racing on a street circuit is always unique. The atmosphere there is amazing. I raced there in F1 Academy back in 2024 so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.”
For now, however, Al-Qubaisi’s focus is firmly on Shanghai as she prepares for the opening race of the season. “This weekend is about learning and enjoying the experience,” she said.
“The focus is to keep improving every session and build confidence with the car.”
