Europe’s elite returned to competitive action with thrilling encounters, dramatic comebacks and a string of impressive performances from some of the continent’s leading strikers
The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League opened with an action-packed first round that produced goals, surprises and standout performances from Europe’s leading forwards.
The league phase began on September 24, with 54 matches scheduled through the opening window.
Among the biggest talking points were Norway’s Erling Haaland, France’s Kylian Mbappé, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and Finland’s Joel Pohjanpalo, all of whom made significant contributions.
The opening night immediately delivered a five-goal thriller in Oslo, where Norway defeated Denmark 3-2.
Manchester City striker Haaland scored twice, while Oscar Bobb also found the net for the hosts. Denmark responded through Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Højlund, but Haaland completed his brace in the 74th minute to secure Norway’s victory.
Haaland’s performance continued his extraordinary international scoring run. The 26-year-old reached 64 goals in 56 appearances for Norway, further extending his position as the country’s all-time leading scorer.
Portugal, the defending Nations League champions, also began with victory, defeating Wales 1-0 in Lisbon.
João Félix scored the decisive goal in the 22nd minute after receiving a pass from Nuno Mendes and firing from outside the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo had opportunities but could not add to Portugal’s lead.
France also opened their campaign with a narrow victory. Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Türkiye, converting in the 54th minute after being set up by Michael Olise. It was Mbappé’s 67th goal for France.
England and Spain then produced one of the most entertaining games of the opening round. Spain defeated England 3-2 at Wembley after the hosts recovered from an early setback.
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring for Spain before Anthony Gordon equalised for England.
England subsequently had a major opportunity when Harry Kane struck the crossbar from the penalty spot. Spain capitalised, with Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal scoring to complete the comeback victory.
Oyarzabal’s decisive goal was particularly significant because he had also scored against England in the Euro 2024 final.
Elsewhere, Belgium defeated Italy 2-0, with Mika Godts and Dodi Lukébakio scoring, while Croatia edged Czechia 2-1.
Finland produced perhaps the most emphatic victory of the opening round, crushing San Marino 7-0. Joel Pohjanpalo scored a hat-trick, becoming the first player to register three goals in the 2026/27 competition.
Sweden also began strongly, beating Romania 2-1, with Alexander Isak among the scorers. The Liverpool striker later returned to his club after suffering a minor injury during international duty.
The opening matches therefore offered an early glimpse of the tournament’s attacking possibilities.
From Haaland’s brace and Pohjanpalo’s hat-trick to Mbappé’s decisive strike and Oyarzabal’s Wembley winner, Europe’s leading forwards wasted little time making their presence felt.
With the league phase continuing into November, the early goal-scoring exploits have already set the stage for an intriguing battle among Europe’s attacking stars.
