Horrifying videos of unrest after Belgium's defeat against Morocco reach Twitter

Riot police are deployed to clear the streets after clashes with football fans

football Fans rioted in Belgium and that Netherlands the weekend after a crucial World Cup match – and videos shared on social media show how dangerous they became.

Morocco surprised football fans everywhere by beating the Belgian team 2-0 on Sunday, with the first goal coming in the 73rd minute.

This was a setback for Belgium, as they now need to win their final group match against Croatia to advance to the knockout phase of the tournament.

But then events in Europe escalated when aggressive crowds in the Belgian capital Brussels had to be dispersed by police using water cannon and tear gas.

Parts of the city had to be cordoned off to disperse people. Subways and trams were stopped. Rioters threw bricks, cars were overturned and set on fire, and fires were set in the streets.

Brussels police have since reported that one person suffered facial injuries and the city's mayor, Philippe Close, urged fans to stay away from the city center.

Close said: “These are not fans, they are rioters. The Moroccan fans are here to celebrate.”

Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said: “It is sad to see how a few people abuse a situation to run amok.”

Around twelve people were arrested in Brussels and another eight were detained in Antwerp.

In Rotterdam, the Netherlands, two police officers were injured and a group of 500 football fans threw fireworks and glass at the police.

Further protests were also recorded in Amsterdam and The Hague.

By late Sunday evening, the unrest had largely died down – but the videos from social media show how much the situation escalated over the course of the day:

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