Hat-Trick Hero Romelu Lukaku Upstages Zlatan Ibrahimovic As Belgium Beat Sweden

Sweden 0-3 Belgium

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to international soccer on Friday but he was upstaged by another former Manchester United striker as Sweden lost 3-0 at home to Belgium.

Romelu Lukaku scored a fine hat-trick as Belgium kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a big away win in Stockholm.

Lukaku was on target in the 35th, 49th and 82nd minutes as he enhanced his record as Belgium's all-time leading scorer - now 71 goals in 105 games.

Ibrahimovic had been tipped to break a record of his own.

Indeed, it was originally announced after he came on as a 73rd-minute substitute that Ibrahimovic, 41, had become the oldest man to play in a European Championship qualifier.

However, that record was broken elsewhere on Friday as Lee Casciaro, who is four days older than Ibrahimovic, featured for Gibraltar in their 3-0 loss to Greece.

Highlights: Sweden 0-3 Belgium

Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic pictured standing with his hands on his hips during his team's 3-0 loss to Belgium

IMAGO/Bildbyran/Tobias Sterner