The reigning European champion therefore fell. Belgium dominated Portugal 1-0 Sunday, June 27 in Seville, and snatched its ticket for the quarter-finals of the Euro, where it will meet Italy, while Cristiano Ronaldo, turned off, leaves the tournament in the eighth final. The “first final” of the Euro decided: thanks to a flash of Thorgan Hazard just before the break (42e), the Red Devils confirmed to be among the big favorites for the final victory, and eliminated a serious contender for the title.
Between Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Diogo Jota or Bruno Fernandes, the lawn of the Cartuja stadium was surrounded by stars on Sunday evening. But the brightest of them has passed away, and her team with her. Powerless, isolated, the Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo was completely transparent, annoying the choices of his partners (a grimace after an unnecessary sprint, a lifting of his arms after the goal conceded …) without offering anything better.
Missed opportunity
Praised the day before by Jan Vertonghen, who called it “Phenomenon” and who said the” admire “, the Portuguese n ° 7 missed a golden opportunity to hoist his name a little higher at the top of the pantheon of world football. Already top scorer in the history of the Euro with 14 goals (ahead of Michel Platini’s 9 in 1984), Ronaldo leaves the Euro without having managed to hang a 110e goal in selection, and remains co-world record holder with 109 achievements, like the Iranian Ali Daei.
In the wake of its star, Portugal was disillusioned, five years after its coronation at Euro 2016 in France. However, the Seleçao had opportunities. A dangerous free kick well struck by Ronaldo (25e), who found Courtois in his path. A 60-meter foray of the untenable Renato Sanches (40e). A strike from Diogo Jota who grazed the Belgian crossbar (58e). And the best, a powerful recovery from the head of Ruben Dias, boxed by Courtois at the very end of the match (83e). But that’s all.
Ronaldo off, in front, the light came from a Hazard. No Eden, not the one that a whole country was waiting for to return to its best level after its first start on Monday against Finland (2-0). But the youngest of the siblings, Thorgan, who donned the cape of heroes to qualify Belgium, semi-finalist of the last 2018 World Cup in Russia and current No. 1 in the FIFA world rankings, for the quarterfinals.
De Bruyne and Eden Hazard affected
Already a scorer against Denmark in the group stage, the left winger of Borussia Dortmund had a flash of genius in the 42e minute: after a transition that started with a Thibaut Courtois hook on Ronaldo in his own area, a clean exit, a long ball sent to Lukaku and a throw-in, Thorgan Hazard unleashed a floating strike from the right from the outside of the area which took Rui Patricio on the wrong foot, to get lodged in the small net.
And luckily, the younger Hazard was there to conclude. Because none of the stars of the Red Devils has been able to be decisive. Neither Romelu Lukaku, little found on long balls; nor Eden Hazard, often targeted by defenders and forced to leave late in the match after a right thigh injury; nor Kevin de Bruyne, hit in the left ankle after a collision with Joao Palhinha before the break, and replaced by Dries Mertens after the locker room.
Three years after the failure that marked a whole country in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium, who spent tirelessly at the end of the match to defend this result, will finally have the opportunity to find the last square of a large international competition. She has an appointment in Munich on Friday, where she will have to beat Italy, victorious over Austria 2-1 on Saturday after extra time, to dream again.
