Belgium 0-1 Slovakia: Romelu Lukaku has TWO goals disallowed by VAR as Ivan Schranz's early strike gives his side the biggest ever European Championship upset by FIFA rankings

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On Sunday, Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona said ‘what matters is not losing’ to Belgium. His players 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 went ahead early on through Ivan Schranz and then survived a barrage of Belgian chances put the cat amongst the pigeons in Group E. 

Twice Belgium celebrated equalisers through Romelu Lukaku but neither of the goals stood after VAR checks - one overturned for offside on Lukaku and another controversially for handball by Luis Openda - as Slovakia secured a win for the ages. 

One that would have been celebrated joyously all the way from Frankfurt to Bratislava. ‘I’m naturally delighted,’ said Calzona. 

‘My team played without fear and they deserve every success,’ added the Italian.

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 held up his hands after the game as Belgium suffered defeat thanks to the two very marginable calls

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

For Calzona - who spent his 30s as a coffee dealer while playing amateur football - the joyous full-time scenes as his staff and his players celebrated shoulder-to-shoulder in front of their fans were emotional. 

‘You look at all the people that have travelled from a small country like Slovakia and seeing men, women and children with joy on their face was amazing, he said. ‘Seeing them chanting for us. It touched me a great deal.’

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.

Even if their Italian-German manager Dominico Tedesco was fed up of talking about the ‘Golden Generation’ tag, they came in their numbers for what was meant to be a procession. 

It was Tedesco who dropped Thibaut Courtois from the squad after a fallout, ensuring that this was Belgium’s first match at a major tournament without Courtois in net since 2002. Nevertheless, any side with an attacking combination of De Bruyne and Lukaku, alongside the likes of Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku must be feared. 

Doku started on the right and looked a handful, teeing up Lukaku for two brilliant chances in the opening five minutes but both went begging. 

Yet it was Doku to blame for Slovakia’s opener after playing a careless pass into his own box. Koen Casteels kept out Juraj Kucka’s strike but on the rebound, Schranz converted to give Slovakia the lead. It was clinical, something which Tedesco’s side lacked. 

First, Trossard skied over when Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka lost possession before Lukaku wasted another chance on the brink of half-time.

Romelu Lukaku thought he had netted an equaliser for Belgium in the second half of the game

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

Lukaku was denied again after the break, this time by a good save from Dubravka but from the resulting corner, Amadou Onana’s knockdown was tapped in by the Lukaku, only for VAR to rule him offside. 

Belgium pushed with wave after wave of attack, with Johan Bakayoko denied by a heroic clearance on the line from David Hancko. 

Even Kevin De Bruyne - described by compatriot Eden Hazard pre-match as the best player in the world - had no answers. 

With two minutes left, Openda did well down the left and found Lukaku, who finished past Dubravka but referee Umut Meler harshly judged that Openda handled the ball.

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

‘It’s tough to speak (about the decision). If we won, I’d tell my opinion,’ insisted Tedesco, who insisted that the only thing wrong for a wasteful Belgium were the ‘missed chances.’ 

Not that Slovakia would care as they held on for statistically the biggest upset in European Championship history.