Belgium have wasted a golden generation – but there is one last World Cup hope
Belgium have wasted a golden generation – but there is one last World Cup hope
Richard Jolly Fri, June 26, 2026 at 6:07 AM UTC
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If Belgium spent years pondering the question of what came after the golden generation, there was a certain logic to the answer: the next generation. Their World Cup has come to the backdrop a needless controversy about Jeremy Doku's decision to leave the camp for the birth of his son, Praise.
Rather less praise has been forthcoming for the Red Devils; criticism is likelier to follow should they tumble out of a second consecutive World Cup in the group stage. Which, as they face New Zealand, seems unlikely but Belgium could be forgiven for feeling scarred by the same stage four years, by Romelu Lukaku's litany of misses in the stalemate with Croatia. Now a draw would almost certainly be enough. Now, unlike then, they are almost certainly not in a pool with two eventual semi-finalists: not when they have faced Egypt and Iran, with the All Whites to come.
Belgium have disappointed at the World Cup so far (Getty)
Yet Belgium are winless; goalless in one respect, too, with the one they scored an own goal by Egypt's Mohamed Hany that Lukaku forced. Once again, there is a whiff of elimination. This time, when it comes, it will be terminal for the remnants of an increasingly aged generation. There will surely be no more World Cups for Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Meunier or Axel Witsel. Perhaps, given the gaps in the squad and the shortage of obvious successors, there won't be one in 2030 for Belgium.
Even before the 2022 tournament, De Bruyne described Belgium as too old to win it. He was right, even if he scarcely enjoyed his vindication. Time may nevertheless lend a greater sheen to a group who did not lift a trophy but who, in the 2022 quarter-final against Brazil, conjured surely the greatest day in their footballing history. Belgium finished third then; across two World Cups, they won 10 games. That apart, they have won one since 1994.
Kevin De Bruyne and Belgium face New Zealand in Vancouver (Getty)
They were ranked first in the world for almost all of the time between the 2018 and 2022 tournaments; that can look still more remarkable when they were 71st in 2007.
But theirs was always a generation of two halves; the centre-backs were born first, and one is now a 40-year-old much decorated Bayern Munich manager. Belgium in effect have no central defenders worthy of the name now, and still fewer at their disposal after Nathan Ngoy's red card in the stalemate with Iran.
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Belgium are still reliant on an aging Romelu Lukaku (Reuters)
It illustrates why smaller nations, even in their golden years, rarely win World Cups: they do not tend to have talent in every position at the right time. Now Belgium only appear blessed with players at their peak or an upward curve in one role; and they cannot field three goalkeepers and no centre-backs.
But Senne Lammens and Mike Penders may yet become among the world's outstanding keepers. Thibaut Courtois has been for a decade. That former manager Domenico Tedesco fell out with the Real Madrid man, with Courtois opting out of international football, led to his demise.
A problem for his replacement, Rudi Garcia, is that even the survivors of the side Roberto Martinez took to the top of the rankings feel older than their actual age. Lukaku started early but may be nearing a slightly premature end. Injuries denied him a Serie A start for Napoli this season. With 90 goals, he obliterated Belgium's scoring records. That they have to hope he can rewind time and secure redemption for 2022. They have no real alternative: when Charles de Ketelaere leads the line, he is more false nine.
Kevin de Bruyne has assessed that Belgium are "not up to the task" (Getty)
They have to rely, too, on De Bruyne's magical right foot prevailing over his creaking physique. He is 34, Lukaku 33. They have played more than 1600 games of professional football between them. It may be no wonder their bodies are giving way. Only Doku has the sense of a being an elite attacking player for now.
Belgium should nevertheless be doing better; it required a remarkable save by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beirenvand to stop Maxim de Cuyper from scoring. But, honest as ever, De Bruyne has described Belgium as "not up to the task" and bemoaned "silly mistakes". There has been a wastefulness when the fixture list looked generous; still more so given the American authorities' attempts to impede Iran. Belgium still failed to overcome Team Melli or Egypt.
None of which is necessarily fatal to their chances. In a different format, three points would surely send them through now, whereas four did not in 2022. Come second or even third in Group C and there are plausible routes deep into the competition; but are Belgium good enough to take advantage?
The early evidence is that they are not; that the golden generation has become the olden generation and that their juniors are inferior to their predecessors. And so the feeling is that it is ending in anti-climax for Belgium unless De Bruyne and Lukaku, architects of a seminal win against Brazil, can draw on their history for inspiration and provide one last blast from Belgium's actually rather impressive past.
Source: “AOL Sports”
