Liverpool defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate battled it out for 2024 European Championships qualification on Friday as France came out on top.

Kylian Mbappe single-handedly booked Didier Deschamps' side into the group stage of the tournament in Germany, next summer. The Paris Saint-Germain star scored twice in a 2-1 win over Holland as they became one of the few sides to earn their spot after just six games.

It was the reverse fixture from the humbling loss that saw the World Cup Golden Boot winner also score twice in a 4-0 defeat for Ronald Koeman's side.

Holland have a game in hand but slipped down to third in Group B, outside of the qualification places, after Greece overcame the challenge from the Republic of Ireland at the Arriva Stadium. Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas provided an assist for the opening goal in their 2-0 triumph.

France media outlet L'Equipe are renowned for its brutal player ratings and in February, two Liverpool players were slammed in the defeat to Real Madrid.

After Friday's historic night for Les Bleus, the newspaper was complimentary of the two Reds players involved on the night in Amsterdam.

Konate was one of four players to receive a six, with Jonathan Clauss and Aurelien Tchouameni scoring sevens as match-winner Mbappe topped the ratings with an eight.

"'Ibou' is a defender who still enjoys duels, especially in the air, who does not hide and who enjoys being the first booster of his team," they wrote.

"He sometimes played a little too high in relation to his defensive line, freeing up space behind him."

It would've been a difficult night for Liverpool and Netherlands captain Van Dijk on Friday night. Koeman's side face a crunch match against Greece on Monday, a defeat would create a mountain for them to climb in their hunt for European Championships qualification.

In light of their defeat to France, L'Equipe noted the Reds centre-back and RB Leipzig loanee Xavi Simons as standouts in a Holland side that was roundly criticised.

They wrote: "With the exception of Van Dijk (6), solid in the duels, and Xavi Simons (6), who brought a little liveliness up front, the Dutch lacked everything to compete with the Blues on Friday at the image of Ake (4), incredibly feverish, or Geertruida (3), astonishingly passive on Kylian Mbappe's opener while he was marking the French striker."