Belgium fans came out in huge numbers to the picturesque Grand Place (Grote Markt) in Brussels. The reception was held at Laeken Castle before the squad travelled to the Grand Place. All 23 members of Martinez’s squad were in attendance after personally being congratulated by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and presented to the fans on the balcony of City Hall.
Fans were seen climbing street signs and traffic lights to catch a glimpse of the players who rode in on open-top buses along the streets of central Brussels.
As Axel Witsel put it, “I believe we were the most attractive team to watch at the tournament.”
The midfield grafter, one of the workhorses whose efforts in the shadows set the stage for Belgium to finally revel in the limelight, went on to offer his own optimistic vision of the future: “We were strong from beginning to end thanks to our maturity when things got tough. We’ve taken a real step forward over the last few weeks. Looking ahead, that gives me a lot of confidence and the conviction that we’ll be even better in the future.”
