After 2018 and 2021, France and Belgium find themselves dueling again in an international competition, in the round of 16 of Euro 2024. As it approaches, the Belgians have displayed a certain thirst for revenge.
Six years ago already, the Blues and the Red Devils faced each other in the semi-finals of the World Cup in a fratricidal match. At the end, the first named raised their hands to the detriment of their neighbors, who were then trolled for many years. Already in 2021, Belgium had tried to take revenge, nevertheless failing at the same stage in the Nations League, but during a much more exciting meeting (3-2). Never two without three, this Monday July 1, Belgians and French will face each other for the third time in six years, a new opportunity to bring to life an intoxicating rivalry, which began in 1904 during the very first meeting between the two neighboring countries.
This Wednesday, Belgium did not do much to avoid facing the Blues by conceding a tasteless draw against Ukraine (0-0). From the final whistle, his players knew what awaited them: a remake of old refrains: “In my opinion, we will not be favorites against France. But we know that, during a tournament like the Euro, you have to face the best to go to the end.”already launched Kevin De Bruyne at the microphone of the RTBF when he had just left the green rectangle. These statements were followed by others, collected in spades by the local journalists present on site. Youri Tielemans, formerly of AS Monaco, believes that the Red Devils could find “reasons for revenge” in this confrontation. “It’s a team with a lot of stars, a big poster. We will have to be 100% if we want to be competitive. We are not afraid. I don’t think the French have played their best football so far but that doesn’t mean anything.”he repeated.
Formerly of the Lille house, Amadou Onana continued the Belgian discourse in The teamensuring that the Blues will not experience an easy round of 16: “France will be favorite. We know the quality of its players. But it doesn’t do them any good to see that they will play Belgium. They know we can be very dangerous”exclaimed the former Mastiff angrily when his coach, Domenico Tedesco, had the last word: “We want to win against France. We are here and we qualified for this Euro to be among the best. Now we face a top team, that’s why we qualified, otherwise we could stay at home. These are the matches we want to play, and anything is possible”he proclaimed with ambition.
Didier Deschamps’ reaction
For his part, Didier Deschamps was also unable to remain unmoved by the sight of the table for the final phase of Euro 2024: “We know each other well, so it will be a big round of 16 for us, as for them. I followed them in all three matches, including their last against Ukraine (0-0 this Tuesday). There are always offensive individuals like Lukaku, De Bruyne, Doku, Trossard… but if they finish 2nd, it is because they also had certain difficulties. But potentially, this is one of the very good teams which have the ambition to go far”he estimated for the FFF. The confidence of the Tricolores, despite a sluggish group stage, does not seem to have been scratched.
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