We look ahead to this Euro 2024 Group E clash in Frankfurt with our Belgium vs Slovakia prediction and preview.
Belgium vs Slovakia Stats: The Key Insights
- Belgium are favourites to start their Euro 2024 campaign with a win, beating Slovakia in 61.5% of the Opta supercomputer’s pre-match simulations.
- Slovakia won seven of their 10 games in qualifying, only being beaten by Portugal.
- Belgium haven’t drawn any of their last 17 games at European Championships (W9 L8).
Could this be the final chance at silverware for Belgium’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’? Domenico Tedesco leads them into Euro 2024 looking to improve on recent appearances.
Since they were beaten finalists against West Germany in 1980 (their best-ever finish at the tournament), Belgium haven’t even reached the semi-finals of a European Championship, and were knocked out in the quarter-finals in each of the last two editions.
Their first game in Group E will be against Slovakia in Frankfurt, with Francesco Calzona’s side a potentially tricky prospect. Slovakia won seven games in qualifying, their joint-most ever in a qualifying group for a major tournament, with their only two defeats of the campaign both coming against table-topping Portugal.
Belgium topped their own Euro 2024 qualifying group with 20 points, making it six times in a row they have finished first in a qualifying campaign for a major tournament. They also extended their unbeaten run in qualifying games (World Cup and Euros) to 40 matches (W35 D5).
This will be Tedesco’s first major international tournament as a manager. At 38 years old, he will be the youngest Belgium manager at a major tournament, breaking Jack Butler’s record from the 1938 World Cup (43 years old).
In Romelu Lukaku, Tedesco will have a striker coming off a fine season in which he scored 21 goals in 47 games in all competitions on loan at Roma. Lukaku is also Belgium’s top scorer at major tournaments with 11 goals in 22 matches (World Cup and Euros). He was the top scorer in qualifying, with 14 goals from eight games, scoring on average every 39 minutes and converting almost half of his 29 shots. No wonder he’s one of the favourites for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Lukaku shouldn’t be short of ammunition, either. No European player has delivered more assists at major international tournaments since the 2014 World Cup than Kevin De Bruyne’s nine (5 at European Championships, 4 at World Cups).
This will be Slovakia’s fourth appearance at a major tournament since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. They have never progressed further than the round of 16, and have only won two of their seven matches at European Championship tournaments (D1 L4). Those wins came against Russia at Euro 2016 and Poland at Euro 2020. They have also failed to score in four of their last five matches in the competition.
No team conceded more set-piece goals than Slovakia over the last two Euros tournaments (7, out of a total of 13 goals conceded). They will be hoping that defensive options such as Milan Skriniar and Dávid Hancko can help them be more solid this time around.
Hancko can be a threat going the other way, too. The Feyenoord defender was involved in more goals for Slovakia in qualifying than any other player (2 goals, 3 assists), also creating the most chances of any Slovak player (17).
Belgium warmed up for Euro 2024 with friendly wins over Montenegro (2-0) and Luxembourg (3-0), while Slovakia thrashed both San Marino (4-0) and Wales (4-0).
Belgium vs Slovakia Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting of these two nations in a competitive fixture. They have previously faced off in three friendlies, though.
Belgium and Slovakia drew 1-1 in 2002 and then again in 2006, with their last match coming in 2013 when the Red Devils won 2-1. There was a dramatic climax in Brugge after Eden Hazard had given the home side the lead with a 10th-minute penalty. Substitute Richard Lásik equalised for Slovakia in the 88th minute, only for another sub in Dries Mertens to win it for Belgium two minutes later.
Belgium vs Slovakia Prediction
Belgium are expected to kick off their Euro 2024 campaign with a win in Frankfurt, beating Slovakia in 61.5% of the Opta supercomputer’s 10,000 pre-match simulations.
Calzona’s man produced what would be considered an upset victory 18.9% of the time, while a draw occurs in 19.6% of sims. That would be quite an interesting outcome when you consider that none of Belgium’s last 17 matches at the European Championships have ended in a draw (W9 L8), a run that started in their 1980 final defeat to West Germany.
As far as the group is concerned, Belgium are also heavy favourites to advance, reaching the last 16 in 90% of sims, and topping Group E in 53.1% of them. Slovakia have a slightly better than 50-50 chance of going through, making the knockout stage in 51.1% of sims.
Belgium vs Slovakia Squads
Belgium
Koen Casteels, Matz Sels, Thomas Kaminski, Arthur Theate, Axel Witsel, Jan Vertonghen, Maxim De Cuyper, Thomas Meunier, Timothy Castagne, Wout Faes, Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, Arthur Vermeeren, Aster Vranckx, Kevin De Bruyne, Orel Mangala, Youri Tielemans, Charles De Ketelaere, Dodi Lukébakio, Jérémy Doku, Johan Bakayoko, Leandro Trossard, Loïs Openda, Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Carrasco.
Head coach: Domenico Tedesco
Slovakia
Henrich Ravas, Marek Rodák, Martin Dúbravka, Adam Obert, Dávid Hancko, Denis Vavro, Milan Skriniar, Norbert Gyömbér, Peter Pekarík, Sebastián Kósa, Vernon De Marco, Juraj Kucka, László Bénes, Matús Bero, Ondrej Duda, Patrik Hrosovsky, Stanislav Lobotka, Tomás Rigo, Tomás Suslov, Dávid Duris, David Strelec, Ivan Schranz, Leo Sauer, Lubomír Tupta, Lukás Haraslín, Róbert Bozeník.
Head coach: Francesco Calzona
Belgium vs Slovakia Predicted Lineups
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