France v Belgium: Vertonghen own goal puts Les Bleus into Euro 2024 quarter-finals

Kylian Mbappe's side into last eight after Randal Kolo Muani’s shot is deflected into net by veteran defender

France's Randal Kolo Muani, left, celebrates with teammates after his shot was deflected in off Jan Vertonghen to give them a 1-0 Euro 2024 last-16 victory against Belgium at the Dusseldorf Arena on Monday July 1, 2024. PA

Jan Vertonghen of Belgium reacts after the match following his own goal that gave France victory. EPA

France's Kylian Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani (left) celebrate after Belgium's Jan Vertonghen (not pictured) scored an own goal during the UEFA Euro 2024, round of 16 match at the Dusseldorf Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany. Picture date: Monday July 1, 2024. PA Photo. See PA Story SOCCER France. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne and Yannick Carrasco. AFP

Randal Kolo Muani of France scores his team's opener, via an own goal by Belgium's Jan Vertonghen. Getty Images

Randal Kolo Muani's deflected shot beats Belgium keeper Koen Casteels. Getty Images

Randal Kolo Muani celebrates scoring his team's winner in front of France's fans. Getty Images

Randal Kolo Muani of France scores the winner via a deflected own goal. Getty Images

Tempers flare between France's Kylian Mbappe and Belgium's Jan Vertonghen. PA

Romelu Lukaku of Belgium and William Saliba of France battle. EPA

France's Kylian Mbappe shoots. AFP

Marcus Thuram of France misses the target with a header. AP

Kylian Mbappe of France and Yannick Carrasco of Belgium in action. EPA

Kylian Mbappe of France pleads with the referee as Aurelien Tchouameni of France is shown the yellow card. AP

France's Marcus Thuram tangles with Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne and Arthur Theate. AP

France's Mike Maignan saves a shot from Belgium's Romelu Lukaku. Reuters

Kylian Mbappe and France advanced to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after an own goal by Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen handed them a 1-0 win on Monday.

France substitute Randal Kolo Muani's 85th-minute shot looped up off Vertonghen and over stranded goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

France will play Portugal, who beat Slovenia 3-0 on penalties after extra time, in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Mbappe, again wearing a mask to protect his broken nose, had five shots but none were on target in a low-quality match between the teams ranked No 2 and No 3 in the world as they largely cancelled each other out.

The French won ugly but, for coach Didier Deschamps, it was “beautiful”.

“We played a tough game against a great team, it was close,” said Deschamps. "Although I think we had a lot more possession and a lot more chances. Kolo is Kolo!

“We have to savour it. We mustn’t underestimate this achievement. We’re in the quarter-finals.”

Add a fortunate deflected shot to an own-goal and a penalty – scored by Mbappé – as France's only goals at Euro 2024.

That will do little to stop the growing dissent of France's fans who feel more can come from a talented bunch of players headlined by Mbappe, playing on the day he officially became a Real Madrid player.

Mbappe will be playing in his first ever quarter-final at the European Championship, with France having lost on a penalty shoot-out to Switzerland in the last 16 at the last tournament in 2021.

It was also a nice moment for Kolo Muani, whose last big moment at a major tournament came when he bore down on goal in the last seconds of extra time in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina. His shot was saved by Emi Martinez, when a goal would surely have won the title for France.

“I was lucky enough to get my shot on target,” he said of his decisive intervention against Belgium. “It was blocked but it went in. We’re very, very happy and very, very proud.”

Belgium head home after a fairly miserable Euro 2024, during which the players were jeered loudly by their own fans following a 0-0 draw with Ukraine at the end of the group stage.

Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne was deployed as a deep-lying midfielder in a bid to help control the game, with the Belgians intent on not leaving it open for France's quick attackers like Mbappé.

The tactic would have been a masterstroke had Belgium won.

It didn't, and more criticism is likely heading coach Domenico Tedesco's way.

De Bruyne said: "We had a plan today and I think we did well. We knew that with France's quality we wouldn't have too much of the ball but there were moments where we were dangerous. It's a shame to concede a goal like that but that's football."