The match between France and Belgium, round of 16 of the Euro Cup, involves a rivalry that has been growing in recent years and several stories that further reinforce the confrontation between both squads. The world runner-up faces a team that has been measured in recent years, mainly since 2018when he defeated them 1-0 in the semifinals of the World Cup in Russia that they would end up winning.
That match was a splash of cold water for Belgium, whose Golden Generation was giving its last legs, dreaming of culminating in a World Cup. Before the match against France, much earlier, Eden Hazard could have been part of the French team if he had accepted the Federation’s proposal when he was a child. The former Real Madrid player, currently retired, joined the Lille training center at the age of 14, causing France to aim to nationalize him.
Hazard himself, a star of the World Cup in Russia, confirmed in an interview a few years ago that France had tempted him, but that his decision was firm: to succeed with Belgium. “It is true that I was called to play for them. But I am Belgian and I decided to play for Belgium. I prefer to lose with Belgium than win with France”he said. The first steps of the winger’s career took place in the north of France, in Pas de Calais, a region bordering Belgium where the rivalry is even more pronounced than in the rest of the country.
In fact, photos of Hazard as a child wearing the France shirt go viral every year on some social networks.. At just 7 years old, the former captain of the Belgian national team was an unconditional fan of Zinedine Zidane, who would coach him after him during his time at Real Madrid.. Zizou became an inspiration for Hazard and it is because of some photos that circulated on the internet that, years later, the Federation contacted him to play for the French team.
Hazard made his debut for the Red Devils in 2008 and captained them at the World Cup in Russia, where he established himself as one of the best players in the world. Thanks to his determination, talent and technique, Belgium defeated Brazil in the quarter-finals in a superb performance, before meeting France in the semi-finals. The match, special for Hazard, also for his brothers, especially Thorgan, formed in Lille’s rival team, Lens, ended 1-0 for Les Bleus, after Umtiti finished off a corner taken by Griezmann which certified France’s passage to the final.
Three years later, in 2021, France once again thwarted Hazard’s dream of lifting a title with Belgium. In the semi-finals of the Nations League, Roberto Martínez’s men went 2-0 up, but a heroic French comeback, with an inspired Benzema,truncated the aspirations of the winger, who announced his retirement from the playing fields last year and, barring surprise, will not compete professionally again.
Belgium will appeal to Hazard’s spirit in an attempt to avenge him on Monday in Düsseldorf. France-Belgium will be a high-tension match, with two teams that have not shown their best form so far and with the threat of being eliminated from the Euro Cup at the first opportunity.. De Bruyne will have to lead Tedesco’s men to try to cause a surprise, with a team that has few vestiges of its golden generation left. In France, Mbappé will have to step up if he wants to avoid an unexpected setback for the runners-up in the world championship.
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