Eden Hazard: Belgium can take positives after Euro 2016 exit

Eden Hazard says Belgium can be “positive” about their future despite being eliminated from Euro 2016 by Wales.

Belgium crashed out of the tournament in France on Friday after being beaten 3-1 by Wales in the quarterfinals in Lille.

But while the Red Devils players will be hurting following a game that they were expected to win, Hazard, 25, says his teammates have reason to be cheerful going forward.

“We’re going to keep working with the aim of winning things in future,” the Belgium captain told reporters.

“In two years there is a World Cup. That’s another objective, so we’ll think about that, about qualification, then there’s a Euro in 2020. We have a young team so we can be positive about the future.”

Belgium took an early lead through Radja Nainggolan on Friday, before Wales came from behind to score three goals.

“We played a great first 20 minutes,” Hazard said. “At the end of the match we all said that we would have liked to continue because we have a lot of quality, but they played with more desire than us today. They have many players who play in the English league.

“There is a lot of desire, a lot of contact, today we had a very young team. Youth is great but sometimes if you have a lack of experience it can show.

“We lost against Italy, but I think we played three good matches against [Republic of] Ireland, against Sweden and against Hungary. So we will keep working together this generation, because it’s a pleasure to work together and we will try to win things together.”

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots’ future is in doubt following the defeat to Wales, with the 47-year-old refusing to say after the game if he will remain in the job or not.

Red Devils goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois declined to back Wilmots, and Hazard says his boss has a decision to make.

“There’s a lot of pressure on him [Wilmots],” he said. “We have had him as a coach for several years. We have had some great moments with him, some super moments with him.

“Today we have had a disappointment, but I think he will have a think, he will decide later if he wants to continue with us and if not, then we will wish him luck for the future.”