Thanks to a thunderous strike from Thorgan Hazard in the first half, Belgium sealed a 1-0 victory against Portugal and also a spot in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 on Sunday. 

Defending champions Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo will bid farewell to the European Champions even after qualifying from an apparent “Group of Death”.

Belgium held on despite losing skipper Kevin De Bruyne to injury in the second half and will face Italy in Munich in the last eight on July 2.

Hazard’s swerving shot before half-time settled a scrappy contest in Seville that never really lived up to its billing as the stand-out tie of the last 16.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo tested Thibaut Courtois with a dipping free-kick in the first half, the 36-year-old neither broke the international goals record nor added to his five for the tournament.

Raphael Guerreiro went closest to a late equaliser when his shot came back off the post but Belgium were the braver, more fluid team and deservedly edged through.

Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne hobbled off injured in the second half but returned to the pitch to join the celebrations at the end.

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For all the superstar names on the pitch, it was Eden Hazard’s less-heralded brother Thorgan who proved decisive, the Borussia Dortmund winger who Eden once said had even more talent than him.

Portugal, meanwhile, stuck to the defensive approach that served them so well in France five years ago but has perhaps been outgrown by a side that now boasts some of the most creative technicians in the world.