The disappointing Belgian generation

The Belgian generation brought a lot of hope for the country to win its first major title in history, except for the gold medal at the 1920 Olympics. However, the cycle is coming to an end, and Belgium still hasn’t managed to win a significant trophy.

In the UEFA European Championship, their best performance was as runners-up in the 1980 edition, held in Italy, where they lost 2-1 to West Germany in the final. The best result in a World Cup was third place in 2018 in Brazil, at the height of the “golden generation.”

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Start of the “Golden Generation”

Belgium’s “golden generation” was introduced to the world in the 2014 World Cup, being the most promising crop of players the country had seen, featuring world-class players like Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, among others.

In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Belgium returned to compete after missing out since 2002 when their main player and captain was Marc Wilmots, who was now the coach in 2014.

In the group stage, they achieved a 100% record, defeating Algeria, Russia, and South Korea, scoring their goals in the final stages of the matches. In the Round of 16, the match against the United States went into extra time, and the young stars De Bruyne and Lukaku secured a 2-1 victory.

Photo: Reuters

Belgium was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Argentina, the eventual runners-up of that edition, with a goal by Higuaín within the first 10 minutes of the match.

In the Euro 2016, expectations were high, and Belgium finished the group stage in second place, behind Italy, with the same six points. In the Round of 16, they thrashed Hungary 4-0, but then the Red Devils were eliminated by the surprise of the tournament, alongside Iceland, Wales.

The Peak at the 2018 World Cup

In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the peak of expectations almost materialized. The squad, full of stars playing at the top of their game in the world’s best clubs, took home the bronze medal.

Led by Hazard, who many believed could be named the best player of the tournament, Belgium started their campaign with two thrashings: 3-0 against Panama and 5-2 against Tunisia. In the third match, they beat England 1-0 and ended up in the tougher bracket, with potential matchups against Brazil and France.

In the Round of 16, they staged an epic match against Japan. The Japanese opened a 2-0 lead early in the second half, but the Belgians didn’t give up and turned the game around in the last play, with a spectacular counter-attack resulting in Chadli’s goal in the 94th minute.

In the quarter-finals, Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history and one of the favorites to lift the trophy in 2018, was the opponent. With a highly effective first half, the Belgians took a 2-0 lead. Brazil pulled one back in the second half but couldn’t equalize, facing an outstanding performance from Courtois, who made nine saves.

Photo: Reproduction

Belgium bid farewell to their unprecedented title in the semi-finals when they were defeated 1-0 by France, who went on to win the 2018 World Cup. The only goal of the match was scored by defender Umtiti. The defeat to France in the semi-finals was a severe blow to a generation that seemed destined to win significant titles.

In the third-place playoff, they comfortably defeated England with goals from Meunier early on and a beautiful finish from Hazard at the end. Belgium achieved its best-ever World Cup campaign.

Foto: REUTERS/Toru Hanai

In September 2018, Belgium became the number 1 team in the FIFA rankings, a “title” they held for 1239 days until February 2022, making them the third team to hold the top position for the longest time.

The Decline of Belgium

In the UEFA Euro 2020 (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Belgium was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Italy, who went on to win the tournament. Once again, individual talent did not translate into collective success, raising questions about team management and the ability to turn talent into trophies.

Several factors contributed to this generation’s struggles to win major trophies. Injuries, especially to key players like Eden Hazard, were a constant issue. Moreover, reliance on an aging core and the lack of effective integration of young talent into the main team were frequent criticisms.

The tactical management under Roberto Martínez was also a topic of debate. Although Belgium was known for its offensive and dynamic football, there were moments when the team failed to adapt its strategies to face strong opponents. This inability to adjust to different playing styles was a limiting factor in high-pressure competitions.

In the 2022 World Cup, De Bruyne, the team’s most important player and probably the greatest player in the country’s history, made an impactful statement before the tournament began. In an interview with the English newspaper The Guardian, the Manchester City midfielder surprised with a candid response when asked about Belgium’s chances of lifting the trophy.

“No chance, we’re too old,” said De Bruyne.

This time, the campaign was so weak that the Belgians didn’t even make it past the group stage, finishing in third place with only four points.

Finally, in the Euro 2024, many players who made their mark in 2014 were no longer present. Among the most well-known names, only De Bruyne and Lukaku were in the starting lineup.

Belgium earned four points in the group stage and advanced in second place. In the next round, they were dominated by France and lost 1-0.

Photo: Marius Becker/Getty Images

In the end, the highly promising Belgian generation went trophyless and failed to reach the final of a major tournament, disappointing fans who believed this team would achieve great things and make the country proud.

 

Written by Henry Miller.