The final whistle blew, marking the end of a Euro 2024 group stage match filled with drama and contrasting emotions. At one end of the stadium, the Ukrainian team stood, visibly drained in their penalty area, yet they were met with a wave of warm applause from their devoted fans. Conversely, their opponents, Belgium, who had technically advanced to the next round, could barely approach their own supporters without being met by a chorus of boos and jeers. This stark contrast highlighted the unusual dynamic of the evening: Ukraine, despite being eliminated from Euro 2024, were celebrated, while Belgium, the victors on paper, faced the wrath of their own fanbase, leading Kevin De Bruyne to urge his teammates to retreat to the dressing room amidst the negativity.
Ukraine’s Euro 2024 Journey: Exit with Pride
Ukraine’s Euro 2024 campaign concluded with their exit from the tournament, a bitter pill to swallow considering their spirited performance. Accumulating four points, matching every other team in their group and even surpassing Denmark’s score who qualified in second place, Ukraine can feel rightfully unlucky. Several third-placed teams also progressed with fewer points, adding to the sting of their elimination. However, in the crucial final moments of the match, when the desperate need for a goal to stay in the competition became clear, Ukraine simply lacked the necessary energy and decisive edge to break through.
Despite the disappointment on the field, Ukraine’s participation in Euro 2024 carried a weight far beyond football. As acknowledged by Belgium’s fans who respectfully applauded the Ukrainian national anthem before the game, there are much larger, more significant issues at play. Throughout the tournament, Ukrainian players consistently spoke about the constant worry for their homeland, the anxious wait for news from home, and the knowledge that friends and family were relying on fragmented information to follow their progress. Their primary mission, perhaps unspoken but deeply felt, was to keep the ongoing war in Ukraine in the global spotlight. In this crucial aspect, they succeeded admirably. The resounding applause from their fans was a recognition of this unwavering spirit, a testament to their unity and resilience in the face of immense adversity.
Reaching the knockout stages was always going to be an uphill battle for Ukraine after their heavy 3-0 defeat to Romania in their opening match. Towards the end of the game against Belgium, they managed to create a few tense moments from set-pieces. Artem Dovbyk had a close-range shot from a throw-in, expertly blocked by Koen Casteels, and Ruslan Malinovskyi unleashed a powerful strike that unfortunately hit Youri Tielemans. Yet, these were fleeting moments, lacking sustained pressure to truly threaten the Belgian defense.
Belgium’s Euro 2024 Qualification: A Win Marred by Fan Frustration
Belgium’s performance was far from convincing. Donning their away kit, inspired by Tintin, they appeared overly dependent on their most ‘Tintin-like’ player, Kevin De Bruyne. However, even Tintin has his reliable supporting cast – Captain Haddock, Snowy, Thomson and Thompson. Aside from a few dazzling dribbles from Jérémy Doku, De Bruyne seemed isolated, burdened with the responsibility of carrying the team almost single-handedly.
The fury from the Belgian fans was palpable and, to some extent, understandable. While their anxiety about potentially conceding a goal that could jeopardize their qualification was likely a factor, the negativity seemed to stem from Belgium’s overly cautious approach. They resorted to time-wasting tactics, holding the ball in the corner, and prioritizing securing second place in the group. This strategy, while guaranteeing progression to the last 16 and a match against France, also meant facing a significantly tougher path in the knockout stages, potentially leading to encounters with Portugal and then either Germany or Spain. A victory against Ukraine could have placed them in the theoretically easier side of the draw, facing a best third-placed team.
Romelu Lukaku’s Euro 2024: The Unending Struggle for Goals
However, the underlying issue plaguing Belgium in recent times, and highlighted once again in this match, is the perplexing misfortune of Romelu Lukaku. His goal-scoring drought continues to baffle observers. Despite possessing the physical attributes of Didier Drogba, the ball-holding prowess of Niall Quinn, and the intelligent movement of Thomas Müller, Lukaku seems to have lost the crucial knack for finding the back of the net. He is already his country’s all-time top scorer, and remarkably, with just eight more goals, he would equal the combined tally of Belgium’s second, third, and fourth top scorers. Yet, goals seem to elude him.
His performance against Croatia at the World Cup served as a stark example of this inexplicable misfortune. Initially, his misses were almost comical, but the situation quickly became unsettling. It was as if he had incurred the wrath of the footballing gods, destined to miss chance after chance. Some attempts were agonizingly close, some were brilliantly saved, and some were controversially disallowed. His confidence appeared to visibly erode, resembling a real-time sporting tragedy unfolding before the audience.
Despite the seemingly endless streak of bad luck, one would assume that any cosmic debt would have been repaid by now. Yet, his tribulations have persisted throughout Euro 2024. He has put the ball into the net three times in this tournament, but each time the goal was disallowed. First, for a clear offside. Then, for a debatable handball in the build-up by Loïs Openda. Finally, against Romania, a marginal offside decision ruled out another well-taken chance.
It is little wonder if self-doubt has begun to creep into Lukaku’s game. Who wouldn’t be affected by such relentless misfortune? Just seven minutes into the match against Ukraine, De Bruyne delivered a signature perfectly weighted through ball, setting Lukaku clear on goal. He was onside, with a clear sight at goal. It was a textbook link-up play. He prepared to strike a reverse shot across Anatoliy Trubin, but incredibly, he almost missed the ball entirely, scuffing a weak shot straight to the goalkeeper.
Later, a Doku cross was just beyond his reach, and subsequently, after creating a decent shooting opportunity on the right side of the box, he side-footed his shot directly at Trubin for a comfortable save. This marked Lukaku’s seventh shot on target in the tournament, more than any other player, yet he remained without a goal to his name.
Based on his current form, opportunities may become increasingly scarce for Lukaku. Belgium’s progression in Euro 2024 continues, but the questions surrounding their performance and Lukaku’s goal-scoring woes linger, casting a shadow over their ambitions in the knockout stages.
