Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel was impressed by how Italy's defence silenced teammate Romelu Lukaku in his side's 2-0 Euro 2016 defeat on Monday.
Emanuele Giaccherini's goal gave the Azzurri a first-half lead in the Group E meeting in Lyon, before Graziano Pelle sparked wild celebrations by clinching the victory late on.
Lukaku, 23, had a glorious chance to level the game at 1-1 in the second half but failed to hit the target when sent clean through on the break, while he struggled to impose himself for large periods of the match.
Witsel, 27, conceded that Italy's all-Juventus back line of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini had been too strong.
"Italy are more intelligent and more experienced than us," La Derniere Heure quoted him as saying. "It's really hard to play them, especially with their three warriors at the back. They always make intelligent little fouls. For Romelu, it was really difficult today. We didn't get a footballing lesson but one in efficiency."
Giaccherini, meanwhile, said he believes that Italy have the best defence at Euro 2016.
"I'm delighted, what mattered was winning today. I'm delighted with my goal, but the team comes first," he told a news conference.
"Our defence was fantastic and I think we have the best defence at Euro 2016. Against Sweden, it's going to be difficult. Maybe we'll have less defending to do than against Belgium, but it's going to be tight and we're going to struggle to find gaps.
"Belgium are such a strong team that their biggest strength is their individuals and they can hurt you at any moment, one against one. We all had to help each other and aim, when we had the ball, to hurt them. This is what the coach [Antonio Conte] had asked of us."
Giaccherini praised the spirit of the group, saying that is what made the difference against Belgium.
"I'm happy because I and all of the others in this group, each time we put this shirt on, we know we've got the whole of Italy with us," he said. "That's how it was today and it's going to be like that all the way -- each game you're going to see 11 players on the field and another 12 off it willing to fight."
Italy, who sit top of Group E, face Sweden in their next game in Toulouse on Friday, with a win sealing their spot in the round of 16.
ESPN FC's Selene Scarsi also contributed to this report.