At one end of the pitch, Ukraine’s team, despite being eliminated from the Euros, received warm applause from their fans. In contrast, Belgium, who advanced, faced boos and jeers, prompting Kevin De Bruyne to lead his team off the field. Ukraine, exhausted and lacking the energy or guile in the final minutes, were eliminated with four points, despite having the same total as other group teams and more than some qualifiers.
The Belgian fans’ applause during the Ukrainian anthem highlighted the bigger issues at play, recognizing the Ukrainian players’ efforts to raise awareness of the war in their homeland. Ukraine struggled after losing their opening game 3-0 to Romania, with late attempts that worried Belgium but never posed a sustained threat. Belgium, sporting their Tintin-inspired kit, relied heavily on De Bruyne, who felt isolated in his efforts despite some support from Jérémy Doku.
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