“Silly.” That is how Kevin de Bruyne ended considered one of his statements to the media after Belgium’s defeat to France on the European Championship. The 1-0, an personal aim by Vertonghen within the eighty fifth minute, leaves the Belgians out of the competitors and ensures France a spot within the final 16, the place they’ll have the ability to face Portugal on probably the most tough facet of the draw. The Manchester Metropolis midfielder left the room visibly indignant after a query from one of many journalists and uttered the insult underneath his breath, which the cameras captured.
However what was the explanation that led De Bruyne to reply like that? One of many journalists on the press convention requested the midfielder why Belgium’s “golden technology”, which shocked the world in a number of worldwide tournaments, has by no means managed to win any of them. As an alternative of speaking about Belgium, De Bruyne referred to different nice European groups: “Do you assume that Germany, Spain, France or England haven’t had golden generations?” As quickly as he completed his reply, De Bruyne left the room and, as he circled, he may very well be clearly understood: “Silly.”
The match, which France largely dominated by way of possibilities and complete pictures, led to a 0-0 draw till the eighty fifth minute because of the French workforce’s poor goal and Casteels’ interventions. Then, in one of many least clear-cut probabilities of the match, Kolo Muani invented a shot with hardly any angle and on the half-turn, fortunately discovering himself on Vertonghen’s knee, who deflected the ball to idiot the goalkeeper in his stretch. France thus prevented additional time and earned a ticket to the quarter-finals, the place they’ll face Portugal or Slovenia.
