We now know the Blues’ opponent for the round of 16 of Euro football: it will be Belgium. The Blues were awaiting the results of the last matches in Group E, which were played this Wednesday evening. By drawing against Ukraine (0-0), it is the Belgians who finish second in this group E and who will therefore meet the Blues in the round of 16. The match will be played next Monday, at 6 p.m.in Düsseldorf.
The French also finished second in their group, Group D, after their victory (1-0) against Austria June 17 for their entry into the competition then the draws against the Netherlands (0-0) last Friday and against Poland (1-1) mardi.
A classic in the history of the Blues
This France-Belgium will be a revenge of the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, won by the French (1-0). The oppositions between the two teams have become a classic: Belgium is the opponent that France has faced most often in its history: 75 matches, 26 victories for the Blues and 30 defeats. It is also the very first meeting contested by the two national selections: 3-3 in Brussels on May 1, 1904.
A difficult board game
Even if they did not shine at the start of the Euro, the Red Devils constitute, on paper, the strongest team the Blues could fall against in the eighth. But above all, unable to retain first place in their group, Kylian Mbappé’s partners will now have to beat all the best European nations to be crowned champions of the continent on July 14 in Berlin. Indeed, in addition to Belgium in the eighth, France finds itself in the part of the final table where Germany, the host country, Spain and Portugal, the two most impressive teams of the first round, also meet.
