Belgium Qualifies for Last 16, Faces Fan Backlash

Belgium secured their spot in the Euro 2024 last 16, but full-time in Stuttgart saw little celebration and loud jeers from fans. Captain Kevin de Bruyne led his teammates away from the displeased supporters after a goalless draw with Ukraine. De Bruyne’s decision to play a short corner and keep the ball near the flag, rather than attempt to score, was met with intense booing. He defended his actions, stating, “With one minute left, you don’t want to take risks. If they win it back and score, everyone will blame me. Sometimes you need to be smart.”

The match ended with Belgium as Group E runners-up, setting up a last-16 clash with World Cup finalists France. De Bruyne appealed to fans, saying, “We need them. We needed them in the last three games, and we’ll need them against France.” Despite Belgium’s qualification, the team exited the pitch amid boos with De Bruyne also jeered when named Man of the Match. In contrast, Ukraine’s players received warm applause from their supporters despite their elimination.

De Bruyne acknowledged the team could have performed better but emphasized their achievement in qualifying. Manager Domenico Tedesco expressed surprise at the fans’ reaction but remained unconcerned about the team’s performance, noting the challenging nature of the group and external disruptions, including a delayed arrival at the stadium and laser pointers directed at players during the game.

Tedesco praised his team, saying, “We qualified despite many challenges. I’m proud of the players.” However, criticism came from commentators like Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney, who described Belgium as “terrible” and “very poor,” respectively. With a tough match against France ahead, Portugal’s Jose Fonte remarked that Belgium needs significant improvement to progress further.