Portugal’s defence of their European crown came to an abrupt end in Seville on Sunday night as Thorgan Hazard’s superb strike put Belgium into the quarter-finals.
Hazard’s effort shortly before half-time proved the only goal of the game in what was laregly a cagey affair between two of the tournament favourites.
Left-back Raphael Guerreiro came closest to finding a leveller for Portugal as he struck the post, with Ruben Dias and substitute Andre Silva both denied by Thibaut Courtois in the Belgian goal.
Victory came at a price for the Belgians, however, as they lost key men Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne to injuries, with both players having only recently returned from layoffs.
Roberto Martinez’s side now face a mouthwatering quarter-final against Italy in Munich as the last two teams in the tournament with 100 per cent records go head-to-head.
