“We need these fans; we need them against France” - Kevin De Bruyne urges Belgium fans to support team at Euro 2024 ahead of knockout clash
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has urged fans to rally behind the team as they prepare to take on France in the UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16 on July 1 in Dusseldorf.
The Reds booked their place in the knockouts following a goalless stalemate with Ukraine in their final group game on Wednesday (June 26), attracting boos from their own fans. Romania drawing 1-1 with Slovakia in the othe game produced a dramatic finish - a first in Euros history.
All four teams in Group E finished level on points, but Romania won the group ahead of Belgium and Slovakia, while Ukraine were eliminated. However, fans were far from happy with the Reds' performance. Nevertheless, De Bruyne wants all the support ahead of the crunch clash with Les Bleus, saying (as per The Standard):
“We need these fans. We need them against France. We just need them. I don’t know what else to say. We gave it our all during the three matches. Everybody wanted to win the matches. We tried to do this, but we didn’t manage to do so.”
He added that with a draw helping Belgium's cause, there wasn't an urgency to find a winner at the fag end, but Ukraine needed one to stay alive, which eventually didn't happen. The Manchester City man concluded:
“I think until the 90th minute, we tried to find solutions and afterwards I think Ukraine had a good chance, maybe two.
"When it’s one minute from the end of the match, you can’t take a risk. I understand people want us to win, but if I take the corner. and they go down the other end and score, people are going to kill me.”
The Belgians won one of their three Euro 2024 group games, losing one and drawing the other.
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne symphatises with former teammate after reaching Euro 2024 knockouts
Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was symphathetic for his former Manchester City teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko for his performance for Ukraine in the goalless Euro 2024 stalemate on Wednesday.
Acknowleding that only one of Belgium or Ukraine would have gone through to the knockouts, Kevin De Bruyne said that it's the nature of the game that both teams cannot 'win', telling UEFA.com:
"Zina is an unbelievable guy. I’ve played with him for five years, and he’s done an incredible job for City, and now for Arsenal. He’s a close friend and I wish him all the best.
"But in the end, it’s a football game, and we wanted Belgium to win, and Ukraine had to go out for us to win. They’re a good team with a lot of talent and they will be back in the future, and I wish them all the best."
It's pertinent to note that Ukraine (4) got eliminated from Euro 2024 despite finishing with more points than Denmark and Slovenia in Group C, who finished with only three points each.