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| Euro 2024: De Bruyne Reflects on Belgium’s Defeat to France |
Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne emphasized that they had a solid strategy to overcome France in their Euro 2024 round of 16 match on Monday.
A late own goal by Jan Vertonghen resulted in the Red Devils' exit from the tournament, as they were defeated 1-0.
The Belgian team defended staunchly against Les Bleus until the 85th minute, when Randal Kolo Muani’s shot deflected off Vertonghen and found the net.
Manager Domenico Tedesco opted for a 4-4-2 formation for the match, and De Bruyne has defended this tactical choice.
Speaking to reporters post-match, De Bruyne stated: “We had a plan, and we executed it well. Given France's quality, we knew we wouldn’t dominate possession. We had our moments to be dangerous. It’s unfortunate to concede a goal like that, but that’s football.
“Was there a flaw in our game plan? When you give France a lot of space, it’s very challenging to defend against Griezmann, Mbappe, or Thuram one-on-one. That’s why we decided to sit back a bit. We didn’t concede many chances. It was a good plan until the last five minutes.”
