Vertonghen Believes Belgium Will Overcome Early Euro 2024 Setback

Jan Vertonghen believes Belgium will handle the pressure and recover from their first Euro 2024 defeat. Slovakia secured a surprise win over the Red Devils with Ivan Schranz's early goal, and a wasteful Belgium could not salvage a point. Lukaku thought he had twice equalised, but both strikes were ruled out—one for offside and the other by VAR for a handball in the build-up.

Despite an early setback in the tournament, Vertonghen is confident his side will quickly put it behind them when they face Romania next. "Obviously, the team is very disappointed after yesterday's result," Vertonghen said. "You always want the first game at a tournament to take the pressure away a bit, but now the pressure is probably even more and that's why we're disappointed."

Vertonghen added, "We're not disappointed in the way we played, or the chances we created or the way we defended. To change our style would be a mistake in my opinion. Obviously, the easy answer is to score goals and avoid conceding any. But yeah, the mindset is key, to attack and then to win and to keep doing what we've been doing for the previous 15 matches."

Belgium missed four Opta-defined big chances in this match, marking the first time they had done so in a European Championship game since 1980 against Spain. Three of those missed opportunities fell to Lukaku, who created an xG of 0.82 from his three shots over 90 minutes, cutting a frustrated figure on the pitch.

This defeat also marks the first time Belgium have lost since 27 November 2022 against Morocco in the World Cup, ending a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W10 D5). Vertonghen remains optimistic about their upcoming match against Romania, emphasising that maintaining their current approach is crucial for success.

Belgium's next match against Romania will be crucial for their Euro 2024 campaign. The team will need to capitalise on their chances and ensure they do not repeat their mistakes from the Slovakia game. With experienced players like Vertonghen leading the charge, Belgium aims to bounce back and demonstrate their quality on the European stage.

The Belgian Red Devils' official Twitter account shared Vertonghen's sentiments: "Focus on the next one." The team's determination to move forward and focus on their upcoming matches will be key as they navigate through Euro 2024.