On Sunday, Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona said that ‘what matters is not losing’ to Belgium.
His players did just that and went one better by pulling off one of the great shocks in European Championship history.
Separated by 45 places in the FIFA rankings and up against the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Calzona’s men struck early through Ivan Schranz and then held off relentless Belgium pressure to put the cat amongst the pigeons in Group E.
Twice Belgium celebrated equalisers but neither stood after VAR checks as Slovakia secured a victory for the ages that would have been celebrated all the way from Frankfurt to Bratislava.
Led by captain Milan Skriniar, regardless of what happens for the rest of the tournament, they will always have this moment. For manager Calzona – who spent his 30s as a coffee dealer while playing amateur football – the joyous full-time scenes were quite something.
Slovakia have pulled off the biggest upset victory of Euro 2024 by beating Belgium
Romelu Lukaku twice thought he had netted an equaliser only for both goals to be overturned
Lukaku congratulates former team-mate and Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar after the game
Belgium were on the wrong end of the biggest recorded Euros upset by FIFA rankings in history – with Slovakia (48th) placing 45 places lower than their opponents (3rd)
Slovakia players celebrate after Schranz opened the scoring after just seven minutes
From the centre of Frankfurt to the Waldstadion in the south of the city, the trains were packed with Belgians, with the border to their country just three hours away.
They came in their numbers for what was meant to be a procession.
For them, the ‘Golden Generation’ tag remains even if manager Dominico Tedesco, their Italian-German manager was fed up of talking about it.
It was Tedesco who decided to drop Thibaut Courtois after a public fallout, ensuring that this was their first match at a major tournament without Courtois in net since 2002.
And though players like Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany have moved on, any side with a combination of De Bruyne and Lukaku, alongside the likes of Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku must be feared.
Doku started on the right here and from the outset looked a handful for the Slovakian defence first teeing up De Bruyne, whose shot fell to Lukaku but his strike was kept out by Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka.
A minute later, he went on another dazzling run putting Lukaku through but again the chance went begging as he tried to round the keeper.
However, the striker’s goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review
Lukaku was left frustrated as he was denied his first and Belgium’s first goal of the tournament
Yet with seven minutes on the clock, it was Doku to blame for Slovakia’s opener, with the Man City winger playing a careless pass into his own box.
Koen Casteels kept out Juraj Kucka’s strike but on the rebound, Schranz converted to give Franceso Calzona’s side a shock lead. Belgium were stunned.
It was clinical from Shranz, something which Tedesco’s side lacked. First, Trossard skied over when Dubravka lost possession before Lukaku missed another sitter on the brink of half time.
There was still time for another Slovakia chance before the break as Lukas Haraslin’s volley was well kept out by Casteels.
At half-time, Tedesco switched Doku and Trossard, with the former operating back on his preferred left flank.
Lukaku was denied again, this time by a good save from Dubravka but from the resulting corner, Amadou Onana’s knockdown was tapped in by Lukaku only for VAR to rule it out for offside.
Still Belgium pushed with wave after wave of attack as Trossard tested Dubravka before Lukaku volleyed wide.
Tedesco made a change just before the hour mark, bringing on Johan Bakayoko for Orel Mangala and somehow Bakayoko was denied by a heroic clearance on the line from David Hancko.
On came Youri Tielemans for Trossard but still they found no way. Even Kevin De Bruyne – described by compatriot Hazard pre-match as the best player in the world – had no answers.
Lukaku appeared to score in the 86th minute after he was found by Lois Openda
The referee after a VAR review though ruled that Openda had handled the ball in the build-up to the goal
Kevin De Bruyne was visibly frustrated as Belgium struggled to find a way back into the game
On came Lois Openda and Dodi Lukebakio, with the former doing superbly down the left and finding Lukaku, who finished brilliantly but referee Umut Meler judged that Openda had handled the ball.
It was harsh to say the least and one that will surely lead to further debate.
Not that Slovakia would care as they held on for statistically the biggest upset in European Championship history.