Key events
Read more on Yannick Carrasco, who starts at left-back today. Just ignore the bit that says ‘forward’.
Match report: Romania 3-0 Ukraine
Nick Ames was in Munich to watch Romania punish Andriy Lunin’s imperfections.
This is a big day for the Belgium coach Dominic Tedesco, who will take charge of his first game at a major tournament. He’s the second youngest coach at the tournament after Julian Nagelsmann; in fact he’s almost young enough to be Brighton manager.
Team news
Yannick Carrasco starts at left-back for Belgium ahead of Maxim De Cuyper, who was apparently cursed by his inclusion in our preamble. The attacking trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard will probably rotate during the game.
Slovakia stick with the same XI that thumped Wales 4-0 in their warm-up game.
Belgium (possible 4-2-3-1) Casteels; Castagne, Faes, Debast, Carrasco; Mangala, Onana; Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku; Lukaku.
Substitutes: Kaminski, Sels, Theate, Vertonghen, Witsel, Tielemans, Lukebakio, Vranckx, De Ketelaere, Bakayoko, Openda, Vermeeren, De Cuyper.
Slovakia (possible 4-3-3) Dubravka; Pekarík, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin.
Substitutes: Rodak, Ravas, Obert, Rigo, Gyomber, Suslov, Tupta, Benes, Hrosovsky, De Marco, Strelec, Duris, Bero, L Sauer, Kosa.
Referee Umut Meler (Turkey).
genius
(dʒiːniəs )
Word forms: plural geniuses
1. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
Genius is very great ability or skill in a particular subject or activity.
The other match in this group is about to come to an end. Romania are 3-0 up against Ukraine and cruising.
Belgium team guide
There will be one notable absentee at Euro 2024 and that is Thibaut Courtois. The Real Madrid goalkeeper, unlike some of his compatriots, had not planned to announce his retirement after the World Cup but has fallen out with Tedesco. After a dispute with the coach regarding the captain’s armband, Courtois accused the national coach of a “breach of trust”.
Slovakia team guide
The 26-year-old defender David Hancko is the team’s most interesting player to watch. He is among the best centre-backs in the Eredivisie, where he helped Arne Slot’s Feyenoord win the league in 2023. Interestingly, for the national team, he is normally used as a left wing-back where he has been very influential when it comes to chance creation. His versatility and ability in defence and attack has led to interest from Premier League clubs. In the past there has been talk of a move to West Ham or Aston Villa, but right now following Slot to Liverpool seems a natural fit.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Belgium v Slovakia in Frankfurt. According to our good friend Fifa Rankings, Belgium are the second best team at Euro 2024, behind France, yet nobody really fancies them to go the distance. Perhaps, after all the false hope of the peak golden generation years, that will be a blessing.
Many of the best players of that era are still knocking around, including the mighty Kevin De Bruyne; others, like Eden Hazard, were last seen at Soccer Aid. There is some exciting newish blood in the likes of Jeremy Doku, Maxim De Cuyper and Leandro Trossard, who is 29 going on 21.
Even in transition, Belgium will be expected to qualify comfortably from their group. Mind you, we said that in Qatar. It’s on the pitch where it counts!
Kick off 5pm.
