Belgium Eliminated from Euro 2024 After Nail-Biting Loss to France
Düsseldorf, Germany – Belgium’s European Championship dreams were shattered on Monday as they fell to France 1-0 in a tightly contested round of 16 match. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when a strike from French substitute Randal Kolo Muani took a cruel deflection off Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen’s leg and found the back of the net.
The match was a tactical battle, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels admitted that France wasn’t at their best but acknowledged the fine margins that can decide such close encounters. “It was a very closed game, from both sides,” Casteels said after the match. “In such games, it depends on details.”
Belgium had made adjustments to their lineup, fielding Loïs Openda alongside Romelu Lukaku as a second striker, but they couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed. Casteels expressed his disappointment with the team’s overall performance in the tournament, describing it as “mediocre.”
This defeat marks Belgium’s third consecutive loss to France, following previous setbacks in the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League. The French team will now advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face Portugal, led by former Belgian manager Roberto Martinez.
As Belgium reflects on their early exit, questions will undoubtedly be raised about their future. This loss marks another disappointment for the so-called “golden generation” of Belgian players, who have yet to achieve major international success despite their individual talents.