Euro 2024: 5 biggest upsets in European Championship history as Belgium feature twice after 1-0 loss to Slovakia
Belgium fell to a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their opening game of the UEFA Euro 2024 on Monday, June 17. Ivan Schranz struck the game's only goal in the seventh minute as 'The Red Devils' could not find the equalizer.
Ranked third in the world, Domenico Tedesco's side were the overwhelming favorites to win the match but were struggling to find their feet in the game. To compound their misery, Romelu Lukaku was guilty of spurning two good chances in the opening stanza.
Kevin De Bruyne played him on with a simple lay-off for him in the fourth minute, but Lukaku fired right at Martin Dubravka. Then for the second opportunity, the AS Roma striker took a heavy first touch while attempting to divert it away from the Slovakian goalkeeper.
More drama was to follow after the break, as Lukaku saw two goals disallowed. He was ruled offside for the first when the 31-year-old tapped home a headed cross from Amadou Onana, before Lois Openda was adjudged to have handled the ball for their second.
Leandro Trossard and Onana also came close for Belgium, but lacked the cutting edge in their efforts, as Slovakia held them off for a historic triumph. It's perhaps the first major upset of the Euro 2024 so far.
However, throughout the championship's history, there have been many such shocking results, most prominently Greece beating hosts Portugal 1-0 in the 2004 finals. That remains one of the greatest underdog stories in the history of the sport.
At Euro 2016, debutants Iceland ousted heavyweights England in the round of 16 with a 2-1 victory, whereas Belgium were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the same edition by a spirited Welsh side, who prevailed 3-1.
In the last edition of the competition, France, the reigning world champions at the time, fell to a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland, who fought back from 3-1 down to level 3-3 in normal time.
Belgium staring at another group-stage exit
Although we are only one game in, Belgium could be staring at another group-stage exit. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they were knocked out in the first round. Could history repeat itself for them at the Euro 2024?
They still have two more chances, against Romania and Ukraine, but the former produced an emphatic display to win 3-0, sending a message that the Tricolors are no pushovers.
Belgium play them on matchday two, and Romania will be buoyed to capitalize on their mighty rivals' vulnerabilities. Failure to win would further diminish the former's progression hopes.