Kick-off time: 17:00 (GMT), 1 July 2024 | Dusseldorf Arena | H2H: 75 – 26W, 19D, 30L
France
- Nickname: ‘Les Bleus’
- Highest Position: Champions Euro 1984 + 2000
- Last Games: W D D (Qualified 5 Points)
Belgium
- Nickname: ‘Red Devils’
- Highest Position: Runners-Up Euro 1980
- Last Games: L W D (Qualified 4 Points)
France Football Team
With just two losses in 13 games and two-time World Cup Winners and Euro Winners, France have been a formidable force in International games for years and seem unlikely to change their pace this year. While their 14-0 victory over Gibraltar last year was astonishing for all those who watched, their Group stages this time did not go to plan, as an early victory over Austria, followed by two draws against Netherlands then Poland left them second in the table, forced to face Belgium on Monday 1st July, while Austria have an extra day’s break to play Turkey instead.
While Didier Deschamps has managed the club for some 12 years, his World Cup performances have outshone his Euro attempts, and he will likely be looking to his trifecta of goalscoring talent in the form of Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud to wake up and perform now, having scored just a single penalty in all three games, and with their only other ‘attributed’ goal – in fact an own goal.
Belgium Football Team
A side that sustained just a single loss in 13 games and reached the quarter-finals in their past two Euros, Belgium will be hoping to repeat their Round of 16 victory feat against on 1st July. Placed in Group E, and widely expected to have an easy run, Belgium’s loss to Slovakia, subsequent win over Romania and then draw with Ukraine, left them 2nd in the Group behind Romania and faced with a stiffer path to victory, much like their opponents.
Coach Domenico Tedesco has an experienced team to lean on here, with four of his senior players having accrued over 100 caps each, not to mention his goalscoring powerhouse Romelu Lukaku – who despite having had several goals chalked off in the group stages, has averaged an outstanding 0.72 goals per game over his International career and will undoubtedly be a difficult task for France to defend against if he is on form on the day.
H2H Records
With these two sides having played 75 times together, what’s surprising is perhaps how close the stats might be. With France having won 26 times, Belgium having won 30 times and 19 draws between them, this game could well be another close encounter. While France have edged the last two games, a 1-0 win and a 3-2 win, this 5pm kick-off is sure to reignite some sparks as both sides do their best to progress in the competition.
Round of 16 Match
As the two sides get ready to face off at 17:00 on the 1st July, the latest Euro 2024 betting odds, according to BetVictor at the time of writing, shows that fortune favours the French, with odds of 9/10* giving a £19 return on a £10 bet, whilst the Belgian side are outsiders at 3/1*, with the same £10 stake paying out £40 if they are winning after 90 minutes. Should both sides stay level, a draw is set at 23/10*, with £10 wagered paying £33 if correct, before the two teams will have to head to extra time. While France are currently 4th in the betting markets to lift the cup, while Belgium are 5 places lower in 9th, we don’t see this being an easy game, and just like Switzerland took out Italy, we predict Belgium could cause an upset here unless France rediscover how to score – and fast.
