There is a big fight in Dusseldorf on Monday, as France face Belgium in an unexpected match-up.
France were predicted to defeat Poland and finish top of their group, but could only manage a 1-1 draw, while Belgium were also held to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Ukraine.
Team news
Kylian Mbappe returned to the starting lineup for France against Poland wearing a protective mask, but despite scoring a penalty, the forward might be moved to the left by coach Didier Deschamps.
The 37-year-old forward Olivier Giroud is expected to potentially start, allowing Mbappe to play from the wing in a 4-3-3 formation, with Antoine Griezmann likely to be back in the starting lineup in midfield.
Belgium’s Thomas Meunier has returned to training and could be in contention to replace Timothy Castagne in Domenico Tedesco’s team, with Dodi Lukebakio also back after serving a suspension.
The stats
France are ranked second in the FIFA rankings and Belgium third, with only Argentina ranked higher than these two.
These teams last faced each other in 2021, with France making a comeback to win 3-2 in the Nations League semi-finals.
France have not yet let in a goal from open play in this tournament, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a penalty against them for Poland.
Prediction
Despite France's underwhelming performances in this tournament thus far, it should be noted that they are still undefeated.
They have only won one of their matches, but that win came against an Austrian team that has been one of the standout performers at Euro 2024.
So even though they have landed in the more challenging side of the draw, Deschamps and his team should be feeling confident about their chances.
This is a team that has made it to the final of three of their last four major international tournaments, and that kind of experience breeds confidence.
On the other hand, this tournament is the final opportunity for the remaining members of Belgium's golden generation.
After a surprising loss to Slovakia in their first match, they responded with a solid 2-0 victory over Romania, only to struggle again in a 0-0 draw with Ukraine.
While neither team is playing at their peak, both have reached the knockout stages having conceded only one goal.
This suggests a low-scoring game, with France likely having the edge in quality to secure a narrow win in normal time.