BELGIANS BELIEVE IT’S DEVIL TIME!
It is the dead of night when Roberto Martinez meets with Guy thys and Raymond Goethals in the Grand Place in Brussels. Martinez strides across damp cobbles and the legends turn, like a scene from a spy thriller. ‘Gentlemen,’ he greets them. “We have been giving everything for 125 years, sometimes this close to lifting that trophy.’
He pinches his finger and thumb together and they discuss how the Red Devils came third in 1972, lost in the final in 1980 and reached the World Cup semi-finals in 1986 and 2018.
All done with the help of digital wizardry, of course. thys died at the age of 80 in 2003 and Goethals the following year, aged 83, but the Belgians were launching a new app with this short, slick video and a new slogan: Devil time.
‘i truly believe 2021 could be our year,’ says Martinez in the final scene. ‘it’s time to play harder, time to cheer louder, time to dream bigger. From now on, it’s Devil time.’
it really is. Everyone agrees the tournament starts here in the knockout phase as Belgium’s Golden Generation of wonderful talent take another shot at that elusive trophy.
they have eased through another group stage with three wins, just as they did at the World Cup in Russia. Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne are fit and ready to start against Portugal in seville, according to manager Martinez, and Romelu Lukaku is in the form of his life, brimming with confidence.
‘in the past, people said i was in good form but i have proved in the past two years that i am a worldclass player,’ said Lukaku.
‘i have made a lot of progress. i wanted to step to the next level. i wanted to get there and i think i am there.
‘What i really wanted was to start winning and the fact i’ve won with inter has given me more motivation. the next goal is to win with the national team. that would be the ultimate recognition for the players here and pride for Belgium.’
At 28, Lukaku is in his prime. the striker has scored 41 goals in 56 games for club and country this season, firing inter to the title in italy. He has three at Euro 2020, in hot pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five for Portugal.
‘His shot power and dribble,’ smiled Lukaku when asked what he’d like to take from Ronaldo’s game. ‘He might be a little jealous of my strength and my aim.’
it will be one of the games within the game as the team ranked No 1 in the world by FiFA meet the European champions, tomorrow.
‘these are the games that matter,’ said Lukaku. ‘Now is the right time. Compared to the World Cup, when i think back to the semi-final against France, we were not mature.
‘We were too romantic. We wanted to play nice football and that cost us. Now we have different ways to win the match. i am happy we are in this situation with this group of players.
‘the hunger and desire are big. We have a goal, we know why we are here. this is something we have dreamed about as little boys. Why shouldn’t we go for it and make our dreams come true?’
Portugal will prepare for the game in Lisbon before crossing the border to seville. ‘We’ll be at home,’ said midfielder Renato sanches. ‘surrounded by our loved ones and the Portuguese people. We will be comfortable and the support will be intense.’
But, after squeezing out of a group with France and Germany, the holders have been warned it is not about to get any easier.
‘We respect them immensely,’ said Martinez. ‘When you win a final of the Euros against France in Paris it shows you they know how to win.
‘But we have a fantastic opportunity. this group is ready, the experience is immense and they are very committed to international football.
‘Winning or losing is more about how good we can be rather than what the opposition can do.’
Devil time, in other words.