Beaten by a narrow goal by the French team (1-0) on Monday July 1, Belgium said goodbye to the Euro, stopping at the gates of the quarter-finals.
An elimination that remains stuck in the craw of the “Red Devils”, who fell at the end of the match on “a lucky goal” against their own camp by Jan Vertonghen.
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Euro 2024
Is the Belgian “seum” back? Six years after the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup and three years after the Nations League semi-final, lost each time (1-0 then 3-2) at the expense of the Blues, the “Red Devils” have once again suffered the implacable law of their bête noire in major tournaments. Unlucky, Belgium was eliminated on the smallest of scores (1-0), Monday July 1st, in the round of 16 of the Euro, after an own goal by its defender Jan Vertonghen, who deflected into his goal an off-target shot from Randal Kolo Muani (85th).
“My goal was not to frame but to center”admitted the French center forward, passing through the mixed zone. “Luckily for me, it went off course and ended up in the bottom.”
France-Belgium (1-0): watch Vertonghen’s own goal for the BluesSource : Football – EURO
A frustrating scenario for Domenico Tedesco’s players. “Did you see the goal they scored? That’s how it is, it’s a bit of luck”regretted the Belgian winger Jérémy Doku, well muzzled by Jules Koundé, designated “man of the match”. “They had chances, but mostly shots from afar. Otherwise, they weren’t that dangerous.” “To concede a goal like that is luck”he hammered home. “There’s nothing we can do about it. (…) It’s a regrettable end.”
French cynicism eliminates Belgium again
La Dernière Heure, a French-language Belgian daily newspaper
“Of course, conceding a goal like that is disappointing,” continued his captain Kevin De Bruyne, who appeared groggy and fatalistic in front of the press at the final whistle. “We didn’t give France too many chances. That was the plan, and until five minutes from the end, it was a good plan. We’re disappointed, it’s a shame.”said the Belgian number 7, repeating the word several times “Shame”.
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A fatalism and bitterness also expressed by the local press. “French cynicism once again eliminates Belgium (…) after one of the saddest matches of Euro 2024”coldly summed up the French-speaking daily The last hour. “Didier Deschamps’ men have much more experience in this little game.” “A sense of déjà vu”for its part, titled The eveningcalling the Blues “executioners of two generations”. The one from 2018 and now the one from 2024…
