England failed to win third place in the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia after Belgium right wing back Thomas Meunier opened the scoring from close range in just the fourth minute for Belgium.
Harry Kane and Ruben Loftus-Cheek both missed opportunities to level for England, Eric Dier came closest to levelling the scores but his effort was cleared off the line by Toby Alderweireld, Meunier almost doubled Belgium's lead with a stunning volley but his effort was kept out by Jordan Pickford, before Eden Hazard then made sure of the victory for Beldium, scoring with eight minutes to play. The forward, played onside by Phil Jones, fired past Pickford at his near post to make it 2-0 to Belgium.
Harry Kane emerged victorious, for now, but England lost. That felt they most significant outcome of an occasion with all the romance and emotional intensity that you would invest in a marriage of convenience.
As such, it was tempting to check whether Kane would clenched in his fist in delight when Romelu Lukaku, his nearest challenger for the golden boot but labouring yesterday, was withdrawn on the hour without adding to his tally. Kane would do no such thing, of course. But it must have raised his spirits.
Kane, clearly weary but determined, saw it out to the end. Just one more game to navigate without Kylian Mbappe or Antoine Griezmann scoring a hat-trick to match his six goals and England will at least take something golden home from Russia.
Thomas Meunier fired Belgium in front inside the first five minutes on Saturday after getting in front of Danny Rose
The Paris Saint-Germain defender is mobbed by team-mates after turning Nacer Chadli's low cross past Jordan Pickford
England skipper Harry Kane trudges back to the centre circle as the Belgium side celebrate the opener in Saint Petersburg
Eric Dier came closest for England but his dinked effort over was brilliantly cleared off the line by Toby Alderweireld
The Tottenham midfielder puts his head in his hands after seeing his effort cleared away from goal during the second half
Dier looked to have brought England level when he was put through and lifted the ball over the onrushing Thibaut Courtois
The missed opportunity proved costly, with Eden Hazard doubling Belgium's lead inside the last 10 minutes on Saturday
The Red Devils captain celebrates after firing the ball past Pickford at his near post after he was played onside by Phil Jones
But not the bronze medals. They go to Belgium, clearly the better side despite a spirited second half surge from England. The sheer class of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne illuminated even this adrenalin-free game with their unplayable counter attacks.
As such Gareth Southgate’s team match Sir Bobby Robson’s 1990 squad with a fourth placed finish, still England’s best World Cup away from home shores. Despite the anti-climatic nature of this half-hearted celebration of a game, anyone would have taken that a month ago.
‘It’s an incredibly difficult game for both teams,’ said Southgate. ‘You are so close to the biggest possible prize, and then everyone wants to go home at that point. They’ve been away for seven weeks
‘We played one of the best teams in the world with some exceptional individual talent, with two days to prepare. But in the second half the players were relentless, played some good football, and there were some incredible individual performances. John Stones was absolutely outstanding, and Pickford has had a wonderful tournament. We’ve finished in the final four, but we’re not a top four team yet.’
To England’s credit, they gave it a good go against a side clearly better than them, a point Southgate acknowledged. In the second half, spurred on by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jesse Lingard and Eric Dier, they did their very best. They ran channels, dominated possession and, in a welcome change from Wednesday, returned to their passing game.But their limitations found them out in the end. Or maybe Belgium’s brilliance did.
The more De Bruyne and Hazard shone, the more painful Belgium’s absence from the final must have seen to that nation. To be frank, it didn't look good when the team-sheets arrived, Belgium had already shown they had better reserves than England. And here they had the audacity to play the first team, or near as, making just two changes. England made five with Dier, Loftus-Cheek, Danny Rose, Phil Jones and Fabian Delph coming in.
Beglium captain Eden Hazard looks to dribble past England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek during the first half of action
Raheem Sterling, who started up front alongside Harry Kane once more, looks to hold off Meunier with his back to goal
Those fears were corroborated once the game begun. Belgium who immediately looked the sharper team; almost as if they had had an extra 24 hours recovery and only played 90 minutes in their semi final.
So no surprises when on four minutes Courtois kicked long Nacer Chadli flicked on and Lukaku did well to hold up play. He returned the ball to Nacer Chadli with finesse, his best contribution of the day.
But just as good was the run Thomas Meunier was making on far flank. He started level with Rose, drifted away, causing the wing back to lose concentration, and then sprinted back in to receive Chadli cross, having lost Rose. As such, Pickford had little chance and Meunier connected well and scored.
When on 12 minutes Hazard found huge spaces in the England midfield, fed Lukaku whose cross was missed by John Stones and ended up with De Bruyne, Southgate’s looked in disarray. But De Bruyne’s deflected shot was parried away by Jordan Pickford and Phil Jones could clear.
England did respond with Dier’s excellent raking pass into the feet of Sterling, who took the ball well and fed Kane. A real chance opened up but Kane struck wide, looking much less like the conqueror of worlds he had seemed three weeks ago. ‘I think it would be wrong to judge any player on today’s game if their energy levels were short,’ said Southgate. ‘He’s captained the team exceptionally well. He’s led a culture we’re trying to create.’
But Belgium had by now caught the mood of the non-event and only sporadically contributed. Whistles rung around the stadium as England moved the ball around but with no clear purpose. Still, Belgium finished the half better, Toby Alderweireld volleying over spectacularly from Youri Tieleman’s chipped pass and Stones then doing excellently to hold off Lukaku one on one on the stroke of half time.
Manchester United and Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku looks to hold up the ball with Harry Maguire at his back on Saturday
Sterling, who failed to open his World Cup account in the first half, is surrounded by three Belgium defenders in the first half
On came Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard at half time to inject some zest. Trippier’s throw on 52 minutes caught out Belgium and let Lingard in. He unleashed what looked like a shot and Kane almost turned it in.
Belgium responded, De Bruyne producing one those glorious assist of which he is capable, playing in Lukaku on goal, whose poor touch allowed Pickford to come off his line smartly to block. And Delph similarly was required to make a great tackle on Meunier when Hazard slid in the Paris St Germain wing back on 63 minutes.
However, England finest moment came on 70 minutes, Dier exchanging passes with Rashford so that he was clean through on goal. With Courtois onrushing, Dier executed a gentle chip and only for Alderweireld to appear, sliding in somehow to hook the ball away off the line.
Despite their growing dominance it was Belgium who produced the classiest moment of the half on the counter attack when De Bruyne and Dries Mertens contrived to traverse the length of the pitch exchanging back heels and passes, until Mertens fed Meunier whose superb volley was met with another fine one-handed save from Pickford.
However, Belgium it seemed had merely been biding their time. De Bruyne, excellent whatever the occasion, threaded one those passes at which he is so apt. It wrong footed the unfortunate Jones, touched his heel and allowed Hazard in on a goal, a reprise May’s FA cup final. When Hazard drilled the ball past Pickford it felt like a mercy killing. Not so much to England but the occasion itself. A clear victor had emerged. And we could all finally go home.
Lukaku looks to bring the ball down into his path and race past England centre back John Stones at Saint Petersburg Stadium
England boss Gareth Southgate dishes out instructions to Dier, who came into the side in place of Jordan Henderson
Kane gives a thumbs up to a team-mate after a good first-half opening goes begging for the Three Lions talisman
Loftus-Cheek is denied inside the area by Manchester City and Belgium defender Vincent Kompany in Saint Petersburg
Lukaku can't hide his disappointment after Pickford comes out to smother the ball early in the second half on Saturday
Delph, who started in central midfield before moving to left wing back, makes a brilliant sliding challenge on Meunier
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