Match story
- France created the clearer chances on xG (1.06 vs 0.23, Δ 0.83).
- France fired more attempts (19 vs 5 shots).
- Belgium was more accurate in front of goal (40% on target vs 11%).
- France held more of the ball (55% possession).
France defeated Belgium 1-0 in Euro Championship. The fixture is part of the Round of 16 stage in the 2024 season. The match was played at Düsseldorf Arena in Düsseldorf. G. Nyberg officiated the match. The full-time result capped a France vs Belgium meeting in Euro Championship with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for France and Belgium. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Euro ChampionshipRecorded meetings: 2 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
"If you have a player like that who puts in so much defensive effort – not just tracking back but also pushing forward since he is the one who wins back the most balls high up the pitch in Ligue 1 – it means he is an atypical and modern player."
Inter Miami are reportedly looking to pair up Kevin De Bruyne with Lionel Messi, while some other MLS clubs are also monitoring the Belgian's potential signing. Lionel Messi received a massive boost during the 2026 summer transfer window when Brazilian powerhouse Casemiro signed on to anchor Inter Miami‘s midfield. Now, a marquee target has resurfaced, with reports indicating the South Florida franchise wants to pair Kevin De Bruyne alongside Messi despite growing competition across Major League Soccer. According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, De Bruyne could be granted an exit route from Napoli during the current transfer window. Following a Scudetto-winning campaign in his debut season, the 2025-26 stretch proved challenging for the Belgian playmaker, who missed significant time between late October and late February due to a leg flexor injury. A transfer during the current window represents Napoli’s cleanest path to securing a return on investment for De Bruyne, whose deal with the Italian side runs through June 2027. Under those terms, Mundo Deportivo reports that Inter Miami remains eager to pair the midfield maestro with Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Rodrigo De Paul. Back in June 2025, both Inter Miami and expansion side San Diego FC submitted inquiries regarding a potential move to MLS, a destination that remains attractive to the player. While De Bruyne chose to remain in Europe at the time, the 35-year-old coming off his final World Cup run in 2026 is increasingly open to a North American transition. Kevin De Bruyne #7 of Belgium applauds fans after the elimination from the 2026 World Cup. Inter Miami faces domestic competition for De Bruyne Sharing the pitch with Messi has emerged as Inter Miami’s ultimate recruitment tool, appealing to former Barcelona teammates like Suarez, international colleagues like De Paul, and former rivals like Sergio Reguilón and Casemiro. However, with all Designated Player spots currently occupied and General Allocation Money (GAM) capped, rival clubs are positioning themselves to swoop in. Mundo Deportivo reports that the Chicago Fire and San Diego FC are actively monitoring De Bruyne’s availability. Chicago holds an open Designated Player slot following the departure of leading scorer Hugo Cuypers, while San Diego could open a slot through a potential departure of Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, giving both clubs a roster flexibility advantage over Miami. Inter Miami holds crucial regulatory edge Speculation surrounding De Bruyne intensified following reports from The Athletic that MLS owners are pushing for roster rule modifications, specifically moving toward a more flexible salary structure. While structural rule changes won’t offer immediate relief, the Herons still possess a major leverage point over their domestic rivals. Inter Miami currently controls De Bruyne’s MLS Discovery Rights, positioning the club to lead any negotiations should the Belgian decide to make the move stateside. Miami filed for those rights following his departure from Manchester City, meaning both Chicago and San Diego would have to trade for those rights with South Florida before making a formal contract offer to the player.
Manchester United defender Leny Yoro is aiming high. United improved dramatically under Michael Carrick over the second half of last season to seal a third-place finish and a return to the Champions League. While many fans are concerned about a relative lack of signings given only Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos and Belgium World Cup star Youri Tielemans have arrived at the club so far, inside Old Trafford there is optimism about what lies ahead.
Benjamin Mendy has sold the replica 2018 World Cup trophy FIFA awarded him at auction. In 2018, Benjamin Mendy lifted the World Cup at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium as part of the France squad that beat Croatia 4-2 in the final. Seven years later, that gold-plated memory has a price tag: the left-back has sold the official replica trophy FIFA gave him as a champion for roughly $62,200 at auction. The sale went through American collectibles house Goldin as part of its “Global Football Auction Part 2,” a sale that also featured memorabilia tied to names like Lamine Yamal, Pelé, and Lionel Messi, and closed on July 25. The piece up for grabs wasn’t the actual World Cup trophy, which stays in FIFA’s possession, but the identical replica FIFA and the French federation hand every world champion as a personal keepsake, standing roughly 38 centimeters tall. It was listed with a crack at its base and visible wear, and the winning bidder received a certificate signed by Mendy to authenticate it. Mendy had a brief participation at the 2018 World Cup Mendy, now 32, played a bit-part role in that Russia 2018 run under Didier Deschamps, coming on for 40 minutes in a 0-0 group-stage draw with Denmark while Lucas Hernandez started every other match at left-back. Benjamin Mendy of France celebrates with the World Cup Trophy. (Getty Images) France‘s path to the title included wins over Argentina in the round of 16, Uruguay in the quarterfinals, and Belgium in the semifinals before the final against Croatia. Mendy’s career: a fall from the top Mendy’s path to that World Cup medal ran through Le Havre, where he broke into the first team in 2011 after coming up through the reserves, before a move to Olympique de Marseille in 2013 for three seasons. He then joined Monaco, where he won the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title as part of the young squad that also produced Kylian Mbappé, and that breakout campaign earned him a move to Manchester City in 2017 for a then-world-record fee for a defender. His six years at City were repeatedly derailed by injuries and, later, a major legal setback that kept him out of football entirely for two years before he was cleared in 2023. City released him following that ordeal, and his career never recovered its old level: a brief, appearance-less spell at Lorient came next, followed by a short stint at Swiss side FC Zürich, before he signed with Poland’s Pogoń Szczecin in September 2025, where he currently plays.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
