Tielemans said Belgium stayed “very calm” as the debate over Balogun dominated the build-up. His point was simple enough: the overturned suspension changed the attacking profile Belgium had to prepare for, but not the mindset.
That matters because tournament football is often decided by how teams handle disruption. Belgium, for all the outside noise, appear to have turned irritation into focus. Tielemans’ comments hint at a dressing room that took the situation personally without letting it become a distraction.
Tielemans also offered a revealing explanation for why his campaign ended before the quarter-final. “In the warm-up, my body just switched off for some reason,” he said after a demanding run of fixtures.
He pointed to the load of the tournament schedule and an interrupted previous season, while also making clear he does not see himself as a player who needs unusual protection.
Now back in training with Manchester United in County Kildare, Tielemans appears to be building toward full sharpness at the right time. The update says he is in line for a second pre-season appearance against Leeds United in Dublin, while Mason Mount is a doubt because of a foot issue.
For United, that makes the next friendly worth watching. Tielemans’ fitness, rhythm and role in midfield could quickly become one of the more interesting threads of their pre-season.