France secured a place in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Belgium, thanks to a late goal from Randal Kolo Muani. Despite another challenging match for Kylian Mbappé and a generally underwhelming performance by France, head coach Didier Deschamps remained positive about the outcome.
“It’s beautiful,” Deschamps remarked after the match, which saw France benefit from an own-goal — the ninth in the tournament — to edge past Belgium.
The match between France (ranked No. 2) and Belgium (ranked No. 3) did not live up to expectations. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when substitute Kolo Muani’s shot deflected off Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen and looped over goalkeeper Koen Casteels.
“I was lucky enough to get my shot on target,” Kolo Muani said. “It was blocked but it went in. We’re very, very happy and very, very proud.”
UEFA officially recorded the goal as an own-goal, continuing the trend in this tournament. This marks the second own-goal in favor of France, in addition to a penalty converted by Mbappé. Notably, no France player has scored from open play so far.
“Even if today that goal was enough to get us to the quarterfinals, we have the capability to score more,” Deschamps noted.
France will face either Portugal or Slovenia in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Mbappé, wearing a protective mask for his broken nose sustained in the opening match against Austria, had five of France’s 20 shots, none of which were on target. Primarily playing on the left wing, he was well-contained by Belgium’s defense, including Kevin De Bruyne, who was positioned as a deep-lying midfielder.
De Bruyne, better known for his creative playmaking, had more clearing headers than incisive passes until he was moved further forward in the final 30 minutes. He then set up Belgium’s best chance, threading a pass to Yannick Carrasco, whose shot was blocked by France’s Theo Hernandez.
Ultimately, Kolo Muani emerged as the match-winner. His last significant moment in a major tournament came during the 2022 World Cup final, when his last-second shot in extra time against Argentina was saved, a goal that could have secured the title for France.
France’s performance might not quell the dissatisfaction among fans who expect more from a team brimming with talent, especially with Mbappé, who officially joined Real Madrid on the day of the match.
Deschamps defended his tactical approach: “We were intelligent, playing the waiting game and not falling into their trap.”
This will be Mbappé’s first quarterfinal at the European Championship, with France having been eliminated in the last 16 by Switzerland in a penalty shootout at Euro 2021.
Belgium, on the other hand, exits the tournament after a disappointing campaign, including a 0-0 draw with Ukraine that led to jeers from their fans. Against France, their defensive strategy, including deploying De Bruyne in a deeper role, limited their offensive options.
Coach Domenico Tedesco reflected on the loss, saying, “To go into detail tonight is difficult for me.”
