Liveticker | France - Belgium

All matches

FINAL

Merkur Spielarena

Belgium

VertonghenJan Vertonghen

85'

G. Nyberg

Merkur Spielarena

90'

+ 4

Full-time: France 1-0 Belgium

The party starts for Les Bleus in Düsseldorf as the final whistle sounds - the Belgium players are distraught. France go through to a quarter-final against either Portugal or Slovenia, who play later this evening.

Full-time

90'

+ 3

Yellow card

Orel Mangala

88'

Substitution

Charles De Ketelaere

Timothy Castagne

88'

Substitution

Dodi Lukébakio

Yannick Carrasco

86'

GOAL! France 1-0 Belgium

The ball goes wide left, and then comes back inside. It finds its way through to Kolo Muani, who drops a shoulder and turns goal wards. Vertonghen is with him, and is unlucky to see the France striker's shot deflect off him and wrongfoot Casteels. France are ahead with time running out.

85'

Jan Vertonghen

OWN GOAL!

1:0

83'

De Bruyne blockbuster

The ball rolls kindly for De Bruyne, who drills a fierce shot goal wards from just outside the penalty area. Maignan pushes it away - the France goalkeeper could have, maybe should have, been picking the ball out of his net there. De Bruyne's effort was powerful but straight at him.

78'

French off target

They've had 19 shots, one on target. The latest from Mbappé, who sends another effort over the crossbar.

77'

Double Belgian booking

Vertonghen and Tedesco become the first Belgium team names in the book for their over-the-top protests.

76'

15 minutes to go

And still no sign of a breakthrough. Are we heading to extra-time for the second time in the Round of 16 after England's nervy win over Slovakia?

76'

Yellow card

Domenico Tedesco

76'

Yellow card

Jan Vertonghen

71'

Lukaku chance

Belgium move neatly down the left, De Bruyne feeds Lukaku who fires a vicious shot goal wards - Maignan makes a solid block at his near post.

69'

Another Tchouaméni shot

And another that flies over the crossbar - the Real Madrid midfielder hasn't got an effort on target. Yet.

66'

Griezmann fires wide

Rabiot comes across field from the left, finds Griezmann on the edge of the box - his half-volley with his weaker right foot flies wide. That was a better chance than Griezmann made of it.

63'

Kolo Muani on, Openda off.

The former Frankfurt man will play through the middle where Thuram was; shortly after, Openda is replaced. He's not had much service today.

63'

Substitution

Orel Mangala

Loïs Openda

62'

Hernández saves France

Saliba gives possession away cheaply on halfway, De Bruyne immediately sends Carrasco haring goal wards. He's just about to shoot with only Maignan to beat when Hernández slides in and blocks. Brilliantly done.

62'

Substitution

Randal Kolo Muani

Marcus Thuram

60'

An hour gone

France have looked the more likely to break the deadlock, but Belgium - so far - have stood firm. Surely Deschamps will consider making changes.

55'

Mbappé fires over

Mbappé leaves a gaggle of Belgium defenders flailing as he wriggles inside the box from the left, but can't keep his shot down. That was well worked but poorly finished by the France captain.

51'

Thuram again

Belgium get a Griezmann free-kick clear, but Koundé immediately plays it back in...Thuram rises highest again, but sends his header over the crossbar this time. He's causing problems in the air for Belgium, but so far his radar is off.

Casteels saves Belgium

The Belgium defence can't get the ball clear, it falls for Tchouaméni outside the box - his side foot effort takes a touch on its way through, but still Casteels is able to push it away, diving full length to his left.

46'

2nd half kicks off

Here we go again!

Kick-off!

45'

+ 2

Half-time: France 0-0 Belgium

It's been as tight and cagey as the scoreline suggests.

Half-time

45'

+ 1

Mbappé dazzles

The France captain somehow battles his way past two Belgium defenders, he might have tumbled as he was challenged inside the box, but stumbles on and finds Tchouaméni, who smashes a rising shot much too high.

43'

France forging forward

Les Bleus have regained control of the game with Belgium unable to get out of their half. But they still cannot find a way through the Red Devils' rearguard.

40'

Tchouaméni thunderbolt

The Real Madrid midfielder sees the ball rolled back invitingly to him and he lashes goal wards - the ball arcs away from Casteels goal, but does not miss by much. That was a clean hit, and fortunately the Belgium fan behind the goal who it was heading straight for was watching and was able to knock it away with her hands.

37'

Full-backs getting forward

Hernández now sends over a cross for Thuram that Casteels intercepts. The two France full-backs are finding themselves higher up the pitch now and are finding space.

Thuram chance

Thuram rises to meet Koundé's cross from the right and powers a header...just wide. He's frustrated, because he got in front of Faes well, but what his effort had in power it lacked in precision.

27'

Openda danger

The Leipzig player spins in behind Upamecano...his cross is struck goal wards by Carrasco, whose shot is blocked by Hernández. Belgium have had the better of the last five minutes.

A hat-trick...of bookings

Rabiot is in the book now too - that's three French players on yellow cards. And the Juventus midfielder will miss the quarter-final through suspension, if his side gets there.

24'

De Bruyne causes chaos

The Belgium captain is behind the dead ball, which is just outside the penalty area on the left side. It's perfect to be swung in with his right foot...he does, no one gets a touch, and Maignan kicks the ball away, reacting late.

24'

Yellow card

Adrien Rabiot

23'

Doku on the charge

The Manchester City winger races down the left...he's caught late by Griezmann, who gets booked and concedes a dangerous free-kick...

23'

Yellow card

Antoine Griezmann

18'

France dominant

Les Bleus have had the lion's share of possession and are pinning Belgium back inside their own half - Tedesco's side have everyone behind the ball.

Mbappé chance

France work a short corner on the left, a little flicked pass back to Griezmann allows him to find Mbappé. He's got space to shoot, but Onana gets in the way...and to make it worse for France, the referee doesn't see the deflection, Tchouaméni gets booked for his protests.

14'

Yellow card

Aurelien Tchouameni

12'

Koundé cutback

Griezmann finds Koundé on the overlap down the right. The Barcelona man gets to the byline, cuts the ball back...and there's no one in a white shirt to fire goal wards. That's the first time Belgium have been cut apart.

11'

Unbeaten tournament record

France have won all four major tournament games against Belgium, scoring 13 times and conceding just three.

10'

French mis-connection

Griezmann turns smoothly goal wards just outside the Belgium penalty box, but when he plays the ball through, Mbappé is standing watching him rather than making the run his teammate expected.

Theate-rics

Tedesco has Belgium set up very compact and aggressive in their own final third - former Gladbach man Marcus Thuram has just been out-muscled by Theate. The France forward wants a free-kick, but he's not gonna get one.

Dayot gets the Upa hand

In the first all-Bundesliga duel between Upamecano and Openda, it's France's Bayern centre-back who comes out with the ball.

Mbappé men-marked

There's not just one Belgium defender facing Mbappé when he gets the ball for the first time, just inside the left side of the penalty area. There are three with a fourth lurking.

1st half kicks off

Here we go in Düsseldorf!

Kick-off!

De Bruyne, made in the Bundesliga

Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne ended the 2014/15 Bundesliga season with a DFB Cup winner's medal and a new record 21 top-flight assists for Wolfsburg. He'd been on loan from Chelsea at Werder Bremen for the 2012/13 season - all that shaped him into the legend he's become with Manchester City.

Van Buyten: Bayern icon

The former Belgium international defender won four Bundesliga titles, four DFB Cups and the 2012/13 Champions League as part of Bayern Munich's historic treble-winning team during eight years at the Allianz Arena. He was at Hamburg (2004-2006) before moving south to Bavaria. As you can see below, he's now working for Belgian TV.

Belgium's Bundesliga connections

There's Openda, of course, but at the opposite end of the pitch, there's Koen Casteels. He made over 200 competitive appearances for Wolfsburg between 2015 and 2024 before leaving the Volkswagen Arena earlier this month. Amadou Onana was at Hoffenheim 2017-20 and Hamburg 2020/21 too.

Openda threat

Loïs Openda had a sensational first season in Germany, scoring 24 Bundesliga goals and grabbing seven assists in 34 top-flight appearances for RB Leipzig. Les Bleus have been warned!

Line-ups

So Deschamps does go with the midfield diamond and recalls Griezmann, while former Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco springs a surprise as RB Leipzig's Loïs Openda starts up front with Lukaku for the first time in the tournament.

Belgium team

Casteels - Castagne, Faes, Vertonghen, Theate - De Bruyne (c), Onana, Carrasco - Openda, Lukaku, Doku

France team

Maignan - Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez - Kanté, Tchouaméni, Rabiot - Griezmann - Thuram, Mbappé (cap.).

Another thriller?

Games between these two have been dramatic in recent years. France came from 2-0 down to defeat Belgium 3-2 in the 2021 Nations League with Théo Hernández - younger brother of former Bayern man Lucas - getting a 90th-minute winner. Belgium's 4-3 win at the Stade de France in June 2015 was another gripping contest (see above)

History

These two have met 75 times with Belgium having the edge on 30 wins to France's 26. But Les Bleus have lost just one and won three of the duo's six most-recent meetings.

Clauss back in Germany too

Those who really follow the German game will also know Jonathan Clauss. He helped Arminia Bielefeld to promotion to the Bundesliga before leaving for Lens in 2020. Since, he has become an established international in a fairytale rise to the top of the game for the 31-year-old Marseille defender.

Les Bleus' Bundesliga pedigree

Along with Dembélé in the France squad, there's current Bayern men Kingsley Coman and Dayot Upamecano. Kolo Muani (ex-Frankfurt), Thuram (Mönchengladbach) and Pavard (ex-Bayern) are also well known to German football fans.

Dembélé in Dortmund

Ousmane Dembélé played for Dortmund in the 2016/17 season, scoring six times and tallying 12 assists in a stellar campaign. He also scored in the final as BVB won the DFB Cup shortly before he left for Barcelona.

France to go with a diamond?

France coach Didier Deschamps is set to play Mbappé and Thuram up front with Griezmann behind at the tip of a midfield diamond in a major tactical switch. It means former Dortmund man Ousmane Dembélé is set to miss out.

Welcome!

Bonjour and welcome to our live coverage of the EURO 2024 Round of 16 game between France and Belgium in Düsseldorf!