June 30 – Belgian manager Domenico Tedesco wants his side to demonstrate confidence and “a capacity to adapt” against France in the round of 16 after an underwhelming group stage led to a storm of protest from their own fans, something the manager brushed off.
Belgium’s tournament stands or falls with the round of 16 encounter against their neighbours, but Tedesco believes that much will come down to belief on the day.
“We worked on this belief the last two or three days because if there is no belief, there is nothing. So we have to believe and everybody knows that we need a top day,” said Tedesco.
He added that Belgium won’t be the favourites, even though the French were also underwhelming in the group stages, finishing runners-up behind Austria and scoring just a single goal in Group D.
Kylian Mbappé’s injury became a major talking point, but he returned in the final group game and left a good impression, tormenting the Polish defence. Manager Didier Deschamps repeatedly pointed out that a new tournament starts in the knockout stages.
“I think that both teams created a lot of chances in counter-attacks, but also out of possession,” said Tedesco. “That’s the problem with the statistics, because if you just look at the numbers, you can say they are weak and they are weak, but it’s not true. In both cases, I think if you see the games of Belgium and the games of France, both teams created a lot, even in possession, I think many chances, a high number of expected goals.”
The Italian-German and Belgium had arrived in Germany on something of a high – a simple qualification campaign followed by the easiest group of the tournament. Yet, in the space of ten days and three matches, the public perception of the team took a major hit, resulting in the Belgian fans booing their team off following a goalless draw with Ukraine in Stuttgart.
“The fans are allowed to do anything, you know, if they have emotions if they have some thoughts … they can express what they feel,” said Tedesco.
“It’s no problem, it’s a fan that is paying a lot of money for a ticket. So it’s okay, but it’s also okay I think for a team then to be disappointed because we were qualified.”
With four points from nine, the Red Devils didn’t match expectations in the group stages. The players refused to greet their fans after their final first-round match.
In an open letter on Saturday, the Belgian supporters questioned the team’s commitment in the crunch group game against Ukraine, asking “ how do you explain that you did not want to win in that last match in order to end up as group winners and end up in a table half that would have given us, the supporters, and you, the players, the opportunity to dream of a heroic road to the final?”
“We, supporters, spend fortunes to cheer you on. We undergo hours of car journeys, bus journeys, to get to Germany. We will always be there for you, on one condition, namely that you show passion, be positive on the pitch, fight for every ball and give your lives for our country.”
“It’s no problem for us,” said Tedesco. “What’s important is that we are one unit. So tomorrow is important and what happened for us it’s not a topic anymore.”
France and Belgium last met in a major finals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Belgians had eliminated Japan and Brazil in barnstorming fashion but were disappointing in the last four against Les Bleus, who controlled the match and quashed Belgium’s dream of playing in the World Cup final.
Five French players have survived from that 2018 squad, but Deschamps’s philosophy remains pragmatic. Victory prevails over style. It’s a view Tedesco also ascribes to. Elimination in the last 16 then will be considered a major failure for Belgium. That, of course, also applies to France.
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