Belgium

BELGIUM CAN COPE WITHOUT EDEN HAZARD – THEY’VE SHOWN THA T

Slowly, things have been building to a crescendo for Belgium. The Red Devils reached the last eight of the 2014 World Cup, then claimed third place at Russia 2018 – but their last European Championship experience was a stark reminder that tournament football is unforgiving. Hal Robson- Kanu showed how things can suddenly turn. Literally.

Belgium and a magnificent Eden Hazard obliterated Hungary 4- 0 in the last 16, and took the lead against Wales in their quarter- final, but they were dumped out by a clinical side. Marc Wilmots was accused of lacking the tactical acumen to respond to Chris Coleman’s setup; he resorted to the physicality of substitute Marouane Fellaini in a desperate attempt to rescue the tournament. It didn’t work.

Thankfully, Roberto Martinez has had much more success when the chips are down – against Japan at the 2018 World

Cup, for example, when Belgium rescued a late victory in frustrating circumstances. Under Martinez, the team has improved and matured. Every player is in tune with the demands of his 3- 4- 3 formation. The result? A unit that concedes few goals and is devastating up front. They breeze past smaller opponents and, crucially, can be imposing against the big guns as well: Belgium enjoyed their best ever qualifying campaign and swatted aside England to reach the 2021 Nations League Finals.

Not everything is hunky- dory, however. In January, Axel Witsel – sometimes criticised for slowing down Belgium’s play but ultimately crucial to their balance – tore his Achilles tendon. Can Wolves’ utility man Leander Dendoncker fill his shoes? The Leicester pair of Dennis Praet and the dependable Youri Tielemans – a future leader of this Belgium team – are both at their best higher up the field.

Martinez does at least have options there. Replacing Eden Hazard isn’t so simple – there’s simply no like- for- like alternative. Belgium’s talisman has had a nightmare with injuries and form since joining Real Madrid for £ 150m in 2019; his imperious Chelsea displays are a distant memory. Belgium can cope without him – they’ve proved that – but a fit and firing Eden Hazard would be huge for Martinez.

The Spaniard continues to downplay Belgium’s title credentials, but he’s fooling no one. This is a perfect opportunity for the Golden Generation to lift silverware.

LESSON FROM QUALIFYING

It’s tough to glean much from the best qualifying campaign on the continent: 10 wins from 10, with a goal difference of + 37. They annihilated their opponents, even smashing seven goals apiece past Russia and Scotland, the next- strongest teams in the pool. In Group B, Finland and Russia should serve as target practice.

STRENGTHS

There’s quality in every department of the team: Thibaut Courtois is world- class, De Bruyne superlative and Romelu Lukaku devastating – these days, for club and country. When you add maturity ( Lukaku will become this squad’s sixth centurion either this year or the next) and tactical finesse to their attacking strength and depth, you have a frightening proposition.

WEAKNESSES

Is there a Plan B? What happens when an ageing and sometimes shaky backline concedes in a knockout match and Belgium trail? That’s the true test of any great team, and this time, Fellaini – now retired from national duty – won’t provide that Hail Mary option off the bench.

MOST LIKELY TO...

Be everyone’s second team. That was the case at the last World Cup, anyway, as Belgium played free- flowing and often scintillating football, eliminated Japan in a thriller for the ages, and then slayed five- time champions Brazil.

LEAST LIKELY TO...

Bottle it in the group stage. WHAT THEY HOPE WILL HAPPEN

Simple: win the tournament and retire as legends. Belgium have never laid their hands on major silverware. When they reached the final of Euro 1980 against all odds, West Germany’s Horst Hrubesch broke their hearts late on.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN

Belgium will cruise through the group stage and dispatch whoever comes next in the last 16. Old foes Italy should be up next in the last eight, then France potentially await in another semi- final. These are the crunch ties that will define Belgium’s tournament – and the legacy of a generation. It’s now or ( probably) never.