The Chelsea striker, who spent last season on loan in Serie A with Roma, played the entire 90 minutes for the Red Devils but was marshalled throughout the tie by William Saliba and struggled for clear openings in front of goal.

While Belgium huffed and puffed, it was France who would emerge victorious in Dusseldorf and progress to the quarter-finals after Randal Kolo Muani saw an effort deflect off Jan Vertonghen and into the net with just five minutes remaining.

The French striker was set up by former Chelsea man N’Golo Kante, as Les Bleus broke well on Belgium – although Lukaku argued for a foul on him by Saliba in the build-up.

That winning strike, which totally wrongfooted Koen Casteels in the Belgium goal, was enough to settle a scrappy affair and set up a last-eight meeting with either Slovenia or Portugal for Didier Deschamps’ side, to be played on Friday.