With six of the eight Euro 2016 last-16 ties in the bag, Belgium have made a major impression with a 4-0 thrashing of Hungary in Toulouse on Sunday night.
Magical Hazard
The BeIN Sports co-pundit on Sunday night said he was “running out of superlatives” to describe Eden Hazard’s performance against Hungary. It had everything.
The number of times the Chelsea man carried the ball 30-40 yards, the number of times he beat two or three men in one move. It seemed like every touch he had in the final third led to a chance and, with Hazard in this form, Belgium will be near impossible to keep from scoring.
Hazard put in easily the best individual performance of the tournament and there are few players with his combination of skills at Euro 2016, which is why Belgium have such potential as a team.
Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, for Portugal. Dimitri Payet has been brilliant at times for France. Spain's Andres Iniesta has put in two man-of-the-match performances.
The comparison with Ronaldo is apt.
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At Hazard's best for Chelsea in the 2014/15 season, his manager Jose Mourinho compared him to Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Then came a pretty poor 2015/16 where he was hampered by bad form and injuries.
But at 100 per cent, Hazard is easily one of the world’s most dangerous midfielders and deserves to be considered alongside Ballon d’Or contenders.
It is clear that not having played a full Premier League season is benefiting him. His energy levels were superb and it showed in the way he set up Belgium's second in the 78th minute, running on to his own through pass.
Next up is a thrilling face off with Gareth Bale, another sensational player, when Hazard’s Belgium take on Wales.
Teams growing into the tournament
You’ve got to play seven matches if you want to go all the way at Euro 2016 and the group stages are essentially just jostling for position. More important is whether a team can hit their best form in the latter stages.
Germany are past masters at this and Spain won the 2010 World Cup despite losing their first match.
This time around Joachim Low’s side look well placed again. They flattered to deceive in the group stage before brushing Slovakia aside yesterday.
Belgium look to be in the same shape. We know all about their individual talent and they are putting it together as the tournament progresses. From a 2-0 defeat to Italy in their opener, they have now scored eight without conceding in three games and look to be peaking at the right time on the left-hand side of the draw.
Marc Wilmots’ team are packed with match winners and look like a real shout to make the final on the “easier” side of the draw.
This trend also bodes well for England, who have yet to hit top gear but have a major chance to make the quarter-finals on Monday when they take on Iceland.
Hungary show Croatia the way
All right so they lost 4-0, but Hungary will have no regrets about the way they approached the game against Belgium on Sunday.
Belgium have a more talented squad on paper but Hungary matched them for effort and attacking intent.
At 1-0, Bernd Storck’s side were well in the game and had several chances to grab an equaliser. But the main thing was that they were forward thinking, taking shots and risks and trying to get something out of the game.
When you compare this performance with that of Croatia on Saturday night against Portugal, you realise what a chance the Balkan side missed.
Hungary surpassed expectations in making the last 16 whereas Croatia, especially the way the draw shaped up, will have fancied their chances of making the semi-finals at least.
But they froze against Portugal. No risks, no style – the team that impressed in group play had vanished.
Not so Hungary, who lost by four goals but will no they gave it all they had.
Iceland, the last “minnows” left in the tournament, will have taken note ahead of Monday’s tie with England.
twoods@thenational.ae
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