After a lackluster goalless draw against Ukraine, Belgium celebrated their qualification to the next round. Many players approached the section of the stands where part of their fans were seated to greet them before leaving, but they were not warmly received.

They were met with loud boos, prompting Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne to instruct his teammates to head straight to the locker room. And so they did.

Later, after cooling off in the locker rooms, some of the Belgian players addressed the media, including Kevin De Bruyne himself.

After stating they did "everything" they could to win the game, the midfielder delivered a brief but direct message to the fans. "We need them. That's all I can say," he responded when asked about the incident after the match.

Amadou Onana echoed similar sentiments: "It's true that booing from your own fans doesn't help us. We need them. They were there for us in the first two games and they will be there in the Round of 16. We need them to support us and push us towards victory."

Belgium will now face Kylian Mbappé's France for a spot in the quarterfinals. "If we want to be Euro champions, we have to beat the best teams anyway. We need to prepare well," added Jeremy Doku.