Euro 2024: This Face-Off is Too Early for France and Belgium

France vs Belgium

Meeting France in the Round of 16 was certainly not on Belgium’s ‘to do’ list, and I suspect Les Bleus would have preferred a different opponent at this stage too.

But the Euro 2024 Group Stages threw up some surprising results, and when the Red Devils failed to beat Ukraine on Wednesday evening, it meant a second-place finish for Domenico Tedesco’s team.

Equally, Didier Deschamps’ Bleus had an underwhelming group campaign, and they finished second too. 

So it’s France versus Belgium at the ESPRIT Arena in Dusseldorf on Monday, the third and second-ranked teams in the world by FIFA’s measurement. 

And that makes this game the pick of the week. It’s going to be a cracker, and a big team is going out at an unseemly early stage! 

Talking Points

It’s time for France to fire

Les Bleus probably have the best defence in the competition, and the Euro 2024 betting odds still back Deschamps’ men to challenge strongly for the title.

With William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez, and Jules Kounde across the back line, goalkeeper Mike Maignan has conceded just one goal in three Euro games. And every title-winning team has a strong defence. 

But when will the France attack click?

Les Bleus have scored twice—Kylian Mbappe’s penalty in the 1-1 draw with Poland and a Max Wober own goal in France’s solitary win—against Austria.

Take a look at the armoury in Deschamps’ squad: with Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Bradley Barcola, and Olivier Giroud among the eight strong attacking groups, Les Bleus have everything you would want to obliterate any defence.

Griezmann was, in my opinion, surprisingly left out of the Poland game, and I expect Deschamps to bring the Atletico Madrid man back to bring his intelligence and creativity to the attack.

The France boss may opt to move Mbappe out on the wing, but he is more likely to leave the rapid Barcola and Dembele on the flanks and play Griezmann in a roving role just behind the main striker.

With Giroud available to come off the bench, Deschamps can switch tactics if he wants, but Monday is the day for his front men to deliver. 

When they do click, France will blow a team away, but they need to start now.

Belgium need De Bruyne to be MOM

The Red Devils have plenty of quality in their ranks too. But now that the ‘Golden Generation’ has largely passed, Tedesco has the task of moulding a new group of players, with winger Jeremy Doku the brightest star in the next generation.

Belgium still have top scorer Romelu Lukaku to lead the line, but so far, every time the Roma striker has put the ball in the net, VAR has wiped his goal off three times in three games.

But one player, above all others, carries the hopes of the nation. 

Manchester City’s genius Kevin De Bruyne is Belgium’s most potent weapon and one of only two of the Red Devils to hit the target so far (to make it 28 goals in 103 internationals), a superb return for a creative midfielder who is best known for his ability to assist with a killer ball.

De Bruyne put Lukaku through early on in Belgium’s last game, against Ukraine, and he is the man who can open up the excellent France defence.

And, as well as De Bruyne playing the game of his life, the Red Devils need Lukaku to keep hitting the net … and stay onside! 

History

Les Bleus have had the better of the head-to-head meetings with the Red Devils, with six wins to Belgium’s three, and there have been four draws in all competitions. This fixture is a replay of the 2018 World Cup semi-final and the 2023 Nations League semi-final, and Les Bleus won them both. 

In terms of recent form, France are in better shape, despite some average performances in their group, with three wins and three draws from the last six, while Belgium have won three, drawn two, and lost one.

Neither team has picked up the Euro 2024 results it hoped for, and now that it’s sudden death time, the day of reckoning is here. 

Betting Tip

France are strong favourites to win this game at SBOTOP odds of 1.89, while Belgium are priced at 3.96 and the draw is at 3.16, and I think Deschamps’ men are ready to click.

Some teams will be at the end of a Bleu barrage, and I fear for the Red Devils.

But in De Bruyne and Lukaku, the underdogs have a potentially potent partnership, so I’m ready to watch a game with goals. 

 

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