Belgium’s stars hope for improved World Cup campaign

Belgium will go to the World Cup in Russia replete with enviable talent but Roberto Martinez’s side will have to guard against their perennial habit of underwhelming at major tournaments.

Ranked third in the world by FIFA, the Red Devils boast top-level Premier League performers in their side and will be one of the firm favourites to lift the World Cup trophy on July 15 in Moscow.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will join Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard in a dominant midfield and will be expected to produce the chances for Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, who at 25 is already the country’s top scorer with 33 goals.

Twenty-six-year-old De Bruyne has been the linchpin with Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking English champions Manchester City, registering more assists than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues since 2012.

Hazard has failed to help Chelsea retain their league crown but is still the club’s top performer.

Mousa Dembele will add steel to the creativity, while the defence will be marshalled by players such as Tottenham Hotspur duo Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who has recently struggled to get much game time.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will man the goal, helping to provide the side with an ideal mix of the exuberance of youth and the experience required in the latter stages of the tournament.

They have indicated they are capable of attaining that, cruising through their World Cup qualification group and becoming the first European nation to secure their spot for the finals.

Belgium finished as Group H winners in European qualifying, winning nine games and drawing one, and scoring an astounding 43 goals in the process.

The perennial dark horses, however, arrived in Brazil four years ago with similar expectations but could progress only to the quarter-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Argentina.

Their best performance remains their semi-final appearance in 1986 when they again fell to Argentina, the eventual champions.

To avoid that fate this time around, Martinez will have to make sure his side have a solid foundation to allow his exciting attacking options to flourish.

With Panama, Tunisia and England the other teams, topping Group G should not be too difficult for Belgium, but Martinez will need to find the right formula to balance that attack and defence.

Martinez has given Vincent Kompany two weeks to recover from a groin injury in time for the World Cup, retaining the Manchester City captain in his squad but putting Laurent Ciman on standby for the tournament in Russia.

The Belgian coach had been expected to cut his initial 28-man squad by five players on Monday (June 4) but instead named 24, including central defender Kompany.

Martinez said that World Cup rules allowed the final squad to be named 24 hours before they kick off their campaign. Belgium play Panama on June 18 before facing other Group G opponents Tunisia and England.

Belgium’s preperations for the World Cup have started well with a dominant 3-0 win over Egypt on Wednesday (June 6) with goals from Lukaku, Hazard and Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini.

Squad:

No. Pos. Player Name

1 GK Thibaut Courtois

2 DF Toby Alderweireld

3 DF Thomas Vermaelen

4 DF Vincent Kompany

5 DF Jan Vertonghen

6 MF Axel Witsel

7 MF Kevin De Bruyne

8 MF Marouane Fellaini

9 FW Romelu Lukaku

10 FW Eden Hazard

11 MF Yannick Carrasco

12 GK Simon Mignolet

13 GK Koen Casteels

14 FW Dries Mertens

15 DF Thomas Meunier

16 MF Thorgan Hazard

17 MF Youri Tielemans

18 FW Adnan Januzaj

19 MF Moussa Dembele

20 DF Dedryck Boyata

21 FW Michy Batshuayi

22 MF Nacer Chadli

23 DF Leander Dendoncker

Standby player: Laurent Ciman