Bellingham under UEFA investigation, France battle Belgium before Ronaldo plays

France 0-0 Belgium

Here’s a reminder of the talent on show for both sides out there right now but it’s not feeling like it right now.

N’Golo Kante tees up Aurélien Tchouaméni on the edge of the box after a spell of French possession.

The Real Madrid star’s shot takes a deflection off Wout Faes that threatens Koen Casteels but he gets down well to push it behind.

France then fail to make the most of the resulting corner but Theo Hernandez draws a foul near the byline on the left.

France 0-0 Belgium

Neither manager has made any changes at the break as Belgium get us restarted.

The two players who’ve completed the most dribbles across the last two editions of the UEFA European Championship (2022 and 2024) are Belgium’s Jérémy Doku (23) and France’s Kylian Mbappé (22).

The pair’s personal duel was the final note of a drab first-half but can either seize the initiative to drag their team to the quarter-finals!

France 0-0 Belgium HALF-TIME

France centre back pairing William Saliba (33/33) and Dayot Upamecano (32/32) didn’t misplace a single pass between them in the first half.

They’ve also limited Belgium to just one shot in 45 minutes – which wasn’t even on target!

France 0-0 Belgium HALF-TIME

Belgium have attempted just one shot so far – their joint-fewest in the first half of a game at the UEFA European Championship on record (1980), along with one v Denmark at EURO 2020.

France 0-0 Belgium HALF-TIME

It is no surprise Emmanuel Petit has been left unhappy by what Les Blues have served up against a poor Belgian outfit.

Nine shots but just one on target, with three yellow cards from the three fouls that the team have made.

Kevin De Bruyne’s side meanwhile are doing most of the work without the ball and are struggling to get up the pitch.

France 0-0 Belgium HALF-TIME

That’s it for the first 45 minutes and it wasn’t a vintage half of football – certainly Emmanuel Petit didn’t enjoy it!

In fact, his old side annoyed him so much, the ex-France midfielder was left wishing he could put the famous blue strip back on.

Speaking from the Düsseldorf Arena, Petit told talkSPORT: “We don’t put pressure on them, we let them play the way they want to play.”

Petit added: “I just want to go on the pitch and try and put pressure on every single player… at least try to do this for a couple of minutes.”

“I can’t get it, I’m annoyed… why are we looking at the Belgian players. They’re putting the rhythm on the pitch… what are we looking for on the pitch?”