The stakes will be high when France and Belgium face off in Dusseldorf today with a ticket to the UEFA Euro 2024 quarterfinals on the line. Which is why many are surprised not to see Ousmane Dembele playing from the get-go.
The Paris Saint-Germain star started in all three group stage games in this year European Championship, so it’s quite a surprise he suddenly gets dropped in such a big game.
Dembele doesn’t have any injury, so his presence on the bench against Belgium is just a tactical decision by coach Didier Deschamps, who opted to start Marcus Thuram alongside Kylian Mbappe up front.
Ousmane Dembele of France controls the ball during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between France and Poland at Football Stadium Dortmund on June 25, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany.
France vs Belgium: Lineups
France’s starting eleven: Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Theo Hernández; N’Golo Kanté, Aurelien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann; Kylian Mbappé, Marcus Thuram.
Belgium’s starting lineup: Koen Casteels; Timothy Castagne, Wout Faes, Jan Vertonghen, Arthur Theate; Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Yannick Carrasco; Lois Openda, Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku.
Euro 2024 bracket: Who will France or Belgium play in the quarterfinals?
France or Belgium game will take on the winner of the round of 16 tie between Portugal and Slovenia. This side of the bracket looks like the toughest one in the Euro 2024, as the other quarterfinal clash will see Spain vs. Germany.
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.
