Not since the days of Eric Gerets, Enzo Scifo and Luc Nilis under the leadership of Guy Thys has the Belgium national team boasted a side with this much promise.
Belgium had a golden period in the 1980s, which began with a second place finish in Euro 1980, followed by a semi-final appearance at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
From there the Belgians qualified for every major tournament up until the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, where they qualified for the round of 16.
Between then and now has marked a relatively dark period for the Les Diables Rouges, who fell off the international football map, failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup for the first time since 1978.
Almost a decade later we’re now seeing a new surge of Belgian talent sweeping Europe and a national team that is very much a dark horse for the 2014 World Cup.
Coach Mark Wilmots must be credited for putting together a side that boasts a number of young stars and developing them into a team capable of some serious damage.
Young stars such as Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke, as well as established players including Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard and Daniel van Buyten, form a team that looks strong at the back and equally potent up front.
And it is in England especially that much of the Belgian side are applying their trade and establishing themselves as genuine stars.
12 of the current squad are contracted to teams in the English Premier League, all of which, with the exception of Christian Benteke at Aston Villa, occupy spots at the very top of the table.
The most frightening aspect of this team is its age.
Just five of Wilmots’ squad is over the age of 26, with the average age of the current squad a mere 24 years.
The side also possesses great depth. In goal Wilmots’ has the luxury of choosing between Athletico Madrid’s promising Thibaut Courtois or the consistent hands of Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet.
Courtois’ performances in his three seasons at Athletico have been exceptional. Last season the young talent conceded just 30 goals in 37 games for the Spanish side and was awarded the Ricardo Zamora trophy for the goalkeeper in the Spanish Primera division who has the smallest goals conceded per game ratio.
Mignolet has been equally impressive for Liverpool since his summer transfer from Sunderland and his performances have been a major contributor to Liverpool’s current position in the table.
At the back the Belgians also look strong, with established Premier League defenders Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany, Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen and Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen, as well as the experienced head of 36-year-old Bayern Munich defender Daniel van Buyten.
In the midfield the Belgians’ depth continues with more established Premier League players in Mousa Dembele, Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard, Nacer Chadli, and Kevin De Bruyne, as well as Porto’s Steven Defour and Zenit’s Axel Witsel.
Up front is where Belgium look really deadly. Mark Wilmots’ side possess two of the deadliest strikers in the Premier League in Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke.
Last season, on loan from Chelsea at West Bromwich Albion, Lukaku racked up 17 goals, the sixth highest in the league and more than any of the strikers he left behind at Chelsea.
And now on a new loan spell with Everton, Lukaku has continued to impress, leaving many questioning why on Earth Chelsea boss José Mourinho sent him out on loan yet again.
Benteke has proven he is also prolific. The big forward attracted interest from European giants Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur after netting 23 goals last season for Aston Villa.
Belgium’s qualifying campaign for next year’s World Cup in Brazil was nothing short of impressive. The side came through the campaign unbeaten, netting 18 goals and only conceding four.
Along the way Wilmots’ team dispatched the likes of Croatia and Serbia comfortably and only really slipped up with a draw at home to an improving Wales side.
Many argue Belgium’s qualifying group was relatively easy, however when we compare Belgium to the performances of Portugal, who also had a relatively straightforward qualifying group, we can see Belgium’s qualification was a job very well done.
A surprising fact is the success of the Belgian national team has come without any considerable rise in the Belgian Pro League.
The league has struggled over the years to establish itself as a top league among Europe’s big leagues and only boasts Anderlecht among this year’s Champions League competition.
Aside from Anderlecht’s UEFA Cup victory in 1983, Belgian clubs have had little success on the European stage, however smaller teams such as F.C. Genk, Standard Liege and Club Brugge K.V. have also represented Belgium in the Champions League and Europa League but have failed to have any serious impact.
A reality of the Belgium squad is the majority of the players have been developed outside of Belgium.
Despite the minority of its national league, the Belgium national team looks a real force heading to Brazil in 2014.
With a strong blend of pace, power and experience and some real superstars among its roster, don’t rule out the boys nicknamed the Red Devils to be there or thereabouts come crunch time.
Blondo
Guest
Spain in 2010: Busquets (21), Pedro (22) Fabregas (23), Pique (23), Ramos (24), Silva (24), Navas (24), etc. We saw their other young Spaniards play confidently and e.g. Iniesta (26) wasn't that old too. Only Germany had a string of exciting matches in an otherwise boring WC and IIRC their young squad did well but was unlucky to run into another more or less young squad: Muller (20), Kroos (20), Badstuber (21), Ozil (21), Boateng (21), Khedira (23), Neuer (24), Schweinsteiger (25), ... France, Brazil, ... you'll see that 'just 5 older guys' is more than plenty and in the heat & humidity of Brazil you'd like a low average age ... guys that suffer less fatigue and recuperate quickly. PS Belgium's probable XI in Brazil: Kompany (28), Vermaelen (28), Vertonghen (27), Alderweireld (25), Witsel (25), Fellaini (26), Dembele (26), Hazard (23), KDB (23), Benteke (23) won't be the youngest squad in 2014 (+ look how age is spread from the back 4 to the pacy young guns up front). Mignolet is 5 years older than Courtois yet that young GK won the Zamora trophy, Spanish Cup, ... he even was a key player when Athletico won their European title. Before asserting they have limited experience ... look at their background and you'll see 16yo banging them in with ease at European level or like Hazard putting Lille on the map and being celebrated with individual trophies & records. Experience isn't Belgiums weakness ... other flaws are more likely to prevent a truly deep run ... QFs is a realistic objective and anything more will be amazing.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The Samurai Blue are looking alright then as they just defeated Belgium 2-3 in Brussels
Jack
Guest
I would question that about the majority of the players being developed outside of Belgium and I'd like to point out that the majority are youth products of Belgian sides. Given many have never played in the Jupiler Pro League seeing that they were poached at young ages by bigger Dutch and French Clubs but I don't think that means these clubs can stake claim to having produced these players. The likes of Hazard, Vertonghen, Vermaelen etc left Belgian clubs at the age of 16. By that standard you could say that Wayne Rooney is a Manchester United youth product and and not an Evertonian. Furthermore I think a majority of the team did in fact kick off their senior career with Belgian clubs such as Courtois, Mignolet, Kompany, Witsel, Fellaini, Defour, DeBruyne, Lukaku, Benteke, Dembele, Mertens, Simons and Daniel Van Buyten as well as many others on the fringes of the team. I fancy Germany to win the World Cup but with the quality in that Belgian team they are certainly contenders
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I was actually thinking of Jane Birkin, but BB's version will do very well too!
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
I put an article up about Belgium about a month ago. They're definitely on the 'up' but I think the Euro Championships in 3 years time might be their best bet as some of their best attacking players will be really peaking then. I think defensively they also have a few issues if Kompany isn't fit although they have a wonderful goalkeeper and they are a very good team. I think however expecting a European team with zero tournament experience to win in South America at the first time of asking is a big stretch. If the draw is decent they could easily make the quarters or even a semi, and who knows once you get to that stage!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
:) Brigitte Bardot's moment of glory on a football thread 40 years on. who would have thought!?
brickman
Guest
They remind me of some of the German teams 10 or so years ago. They don't have any of the best players in the world. I like Kompany. They also have a very good player at EVERY position. I think they could reach the semi or quarter finals. I agree with the other comments that Colombia, Chile and Uruguay will do well. One of them will make the final four.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I can't get the sound of heavy breathing out of my head now!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Wow its even worth than I expected although not that surprising. Dunno I you followed the Evra saga recently: he gave an interview on one of the most popular football show in France during which he bagged and even insulted 4 journos/ former players including Luis Fernandez and Bixente Lizarazu. There has been a love and hate relationship between the team and the public for over a decade imo. We have had very arrogant players since the Thierry Henry generation only difference was that we were winning then. But that's the French way and I think it will never change. as we say, "je t'aime, moi non plus" ( I love you, me neither)
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I think a win against Ukraine is certainly do-able, but it must be a sad state of affairs when so many are willing to see their national team fail in the hope that some long term good can come out of it. According to today's Guardian, quoting a poll in Le Parisien, only 16% of the French still support the team now: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/18/france-ukraine-public-give-up-deschamps Here's hoping you get a good result to cheer about in the second leg!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Very, very, very slim mate. To score 2 or 3 vs Ukraine isn't unachievable though so there is still hope. Benzema will play with apparently valbuena and ribery on the wings. Many supporters want the team not to qualify so that all the players who went on strike during the SA WC in 2010 (Evra, Ribery, Abidal etc) get the sack and the FFF start with a new team culture, a new coach etc. I don't think Deschamps would survive a defeat tomorrow. And maybe Wenger would again be approached as the 2016 Euro is in france so we wont play a single competition game in the next 2 years (he could finish the season with arsenal then take the team after that). Still hope they qualify though as a WC without your team isn't the same really.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Hoping for a French win Nick? What do you think of your chances?
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Imo they are in the big group of 10-12 contenders just behind the 3 favorites (Spain, Germany and Brazil). I don't think they lack experience as such as all their players are used to big games with their club. If luck is on their side I don't see why they wouldn't go far. As an aside we will know the last 4 Europeans to qualify and the last Africans in less than 36 hours.
Eddy Bramley
Roar Pro
Good points there HardcorePrawn. I refer to them as a Dark Horse because we've never really seen a Belgium side (since the 80's) really compete in the latter stages of a major tournament like I think this team will. Your point about how expensive their side is is interesting but realistically it bears no significance on the international stage. Like others have mentioned, I think they could potentially slip up due to a lack of experience. However, with a side full of such young talent comes a no fear attitude and a huge amount of confidence so potentially the youth and lack of experience could be a positive factor for the Belgians. I guess we'll find out in June.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I'm not sure I'd describe the Belgians as dark horses: they were one of the first European nations to qualify for Brazil 2014, topping a table that included a couple of (usually) decent sides in Croatia and Serbia, as well as the potentially brilliant Wales (and if ever a nation needed a decent manager to exploit their individual talents it's that one). I've also heard it said that Belgium are one of the most expensively assembled squads in the world (if we take into account the value of the individual players' transfers to their current clubs). Where Belgium might have problems at the World Cup is their propensity to implode along national lines, rather like the Netherlands have been known to do, and even Spain have done in the past. If they remain a unified squad though, and can avoid the likes of Spain and Argentina, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them make the semi-finals at least.
Adrian
Roar Pro
Belgiums success depends on how the pool they are in and how much is sucked out during pool play, skills, age are on their side, however, experience is lacking on the highest levels and during crunch time that could be the telling factor.
Vas Venkatramani
Guest
It really depends on how well they gel. Countless teams with top individuals have fallen by the wayside because they were unable to team up properly. The most recent example of this was Holland during Euro12. Belgium should be expected at least to advance past their group, but then it's a lottery depending on who they come up against. Squad depth during national tournaments is less essential when compared to having a fully functioning core base of 14-15 players all in decent nick who can do the job on the day.
Robbie Mase
Guest
I couldn't agree more. People will discount them simply because they aren't traditional European "heavyweights". They will be the surprise team of the World Cup. I could see them making the semi-finals if they have a good run. I think there will be quite a few surprises at this World Cup - but from teams in Europe and South America like Belgium, Switzerland, Colombia and Uruguay, those not usually considered the "heavyweights". I can't see any of the teams from other confederations doing particularly well. In terms of Asia, realistically our best hope is Japan. They have a lot of talent and can compete with the best when they're on song but they simply can't seem to kill off games and opposition (I'm thinking of the Confederations Cup and the Socceroos - Japan game at Saitama Stadium)
Patrick Hargreaves
Roar Guru
Agree, Belgium are definitely the best of the rest of Europe, but the Chilean team is way underrated. If it was in Europe possibly, but I think to many South Americans have good squads to allow for teams like Belgium into the semis. But if they make the round of 16...
Steve
Guest
"Just five of Wilmots’ squad is over the age of 26" Belgium are good, but the above phrase is why they are little chance of actually winning the 2014 World Cup. To win the World Cup, you need a solid core of 26-31 year olds. Belgium have some great youngsters, but they do not have enough plays with that experience. Add to that, European teams traditionally find it harder at WC's in South America. Of course history means nothing, but I do think the South American teams are a bit underrated, as Chile and Colombia (who just defeated Belgium 2-0 in Brussels) have shown. I think the favourites are between Brazil, Argentina and Germany, with the European superhouses like Spain, Italy, Netherlands on the same level as Colombia, Chile and Uruguay.