The European champion is out and went out in the most unexpected of ways. The strength of this Portugal group was supposed to be its capacity to resist, to hold opponents at arm’s length and force mistakes. Belgium has a reputation as a hugely talented group of players who perhaps lack the edge of champions on the international stage. Yet here it was on Sunday in Seville, Belgium absorbing the blows and, somehow, clinging on to win 1–0 in the Euro 2020 round of 16 to set up a mouth-watering quarterfinal against Italy.
But it wasn’t supposed to be like this.