OFFICIAL: Belgium reaches Euro semi-finals, sends a warning to Vietnam U17

Vietnam U17's main rival in the U17 World Cup group stage, Belgium, has secured a spot in the U17 Euro knockout semi-finals.

After losing to Spain in their second group match, Belgium U17 had to beat host nation Estonia to progress from the group stage of U17 Euro 2026. Despite many difficulties, with a never-give-up fighting spirit, Vietnam U17's opponent officially earned a place in the U17 Euro 2026 semi-finals.

Estonia started energetically and almost took the lead, but Belgium goalkeeper Lowie Piselé saved a one-on-one shot from Aston Visse. Subsequently, Belgium U17 controlled possession but were thwarted by Estonia's well-organized defense until Noah Kalonji scored the match's only goal in the 41st minute, finishing with the outside of his foot after a reverse pass from Joshua Nga Kana.

Notably, in the other Group A match, Spain U17 surprisingly lost 2-3 to Croatia. As a result, Belgium U17, Spain U17, and Croatia all had 6 points after three matches. After applying head-to-head and goal-scoring criteria, Belgium U17 topped the group to face France U17 in the semi-finals, while Spain U17 finished second to meet Italy U17.

Belgium U17 is currently regarded as one of the most formidable teams at the U17 World Cup 2026 following their impressive performance at the U17 European Championship finals in Estonia. Belgium U17 boasts a modern playing style, abundant physical strength, and consistent quality across all three lines, promising to be a major challenge for any opponent.

A key strength of Belgium U17 lies in their defense, which has superior physical size. The two center-backs, Preben Blondeel (1m86) and Elie Mbavu (1m89), form a solid wall in front of the goal, while goalkeeper Mattis Seghers stands at 1m90 and is highly rated for his reliability in aerial duels. The team's significant physical advantage is something Vietnam U17 must pay special attention to.

In fact, at the 2026 U17 Asian Cup, Vietnam U17 encountered many difficulties against opponents with strength and height advantages. Nevertheless, the young Vietnamese team still has reason to be hopeful if they can leverage their group coordination, flexibility in play, and determined fighting spirit. The U17 World Cup 2026, held from November 19 to December 13, will be a valuable opportunity for young Vietnamese players to gain experience on the world's biggest stage.