"Carrying his team that employed Lukaku as a striker" - Fans praise Belgium star's peorformance despite 0-0 draw in Euro 2024 clash

Belgium lauded midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on X in the side's 0-0 draw against Ukraine in Euro 2024 on Wednesday, June 26. The Manchester City star was a creative force in the game as Dominico Tedesco's side pushed hard to score against a dogged Ukraine side.

One fan drew comparison to De Bruyne's performance to that of striker Romelu Lukaku, tweeting:

"He is carrying his team that employed Lukaku as a striker."

Here are some fan reactions:

Another fan gave him high praise as the best player in the world, typing:

"Kevin De Bruyne when his country needs him. Best player in the world."

While another added in a similar vein:

"Kevin Debruyne carrying Belgium this euros, best player itw."

Belgium were unable to break the deadlock against Ukraine in a game that ended 0-0. Playing as a No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1 alongside Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard, De Bruyne was heavily involved as they looked to unlock the Ukraine defense. He finished the game with two shots, four chances created, seven passes into the final third, and four accurate long balls.

The result means Romania ended up as toppers of Group E with their 1-1 draw with Slovakia. The Red Devils alongside those two teams have secured qualification, making Ukraine the first team to get eliminated with four points in Euros history.

---

Belgium's Round of 16 opponents revealed after 0-0 draw against Ukraine

The Red Devils finished second in Group E.

Belgium's opponents in the Round of 16 have been revealed following their qualification to the knockout stages after a 0-0 draw against Ukraine. Dominico Tedesco's side are set to face France to begin their knockout campaign.

The Red Devils, drawn in Group E alongside Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine, finished second behind Romania. They began their Euros campaign with a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia before finding their footing with a 2-0 win over Romania.

All four sides entered the last matchday with one win and one loss from their first two games. Draws in each game meant Belgium finished second on goals scored, having scored two compared to Romania's four.

France, meanwhile, finished second in Group D, also consisting of Austria, Netherlands, and Poland. A 1-0 win over Austria followed by draws against the Netherlands (0-0) and Poland (1-1) saw them finish with five points, one behind winners Austria.

The clash figures to be an interesting affair with both sides underperforming their expectations coming into the group. Belgium failed to top a relatively easy group while France failed to score a single goal from open play in their three games. With a win, a prospective clash against Portugal is on the cards for either team in the quarter-finals.