ROBERTO MARTINEZ
How has your team evolved since 2018?
I think we have improved in the competitive nature of having three players per position. It is becoming harder to reduce our list to 23 players. Everyone is growing, developing and progressing. In our last game of our qualification campaign, we were able to make a lot of changes and maintain our level. That’s been the biggest sign of evolution since the World Cup.
So, for this so-called “golden generation”, it’s not quite now or never then?
I haven’t looked at it that way. When you split the team into individuals and look at what they have given to the national team: to be close to 100 caps, to get bronze in a World Cup, qualifying with 30 points, being No.1 in the world…there are many signs that it has been an incredible contribution. Winning a major tournament sometimes comes down to small details, things you cannot control. Looking back, many teams never won a major tournament – the Brazil of ’82, Netherlands of Johan Cruyff. There are many examples of nations that had incredible inspiration without winning a tournament. We want to be as good as we can and make the fans proud of this team.
Kevin De Bruyne continues to be so consistent. Is he the perfect playmaker?
He is a reference in terms of understanding systems or playing on different stages. He is a playmaker who can play behind the striker or in front of the back four or even a back three. He can be a complete distributor of the ball. To be able to find a pass before anyone can see it makes him unique.
Does the age of your top defenders worry you ahead of Euro 2020?
No, it doesn’t worry me. It’s a nice challenge to have. We have probably had the best four centre-halves that Belgian football has ever had in the same generation: Thomas Vermaelen, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Vincent Kompany. The reality is that they were not going to play until they are 100. What we have done for the last four years is to try to get as many young centre-halves so that they can learn from these footballers. It will be evident that after this tournament these players will retire, so we need to be ready.
You tend to play a 3-4-3. How has that formation evolved with the Belgium national team?
I think systems are not important; the way of playing is important. Are we the team that want to be on the ball, do we want to be aggressive to win it back as quick as we can, and from that point use individual talent in a balanced and structured way? I just felt the 3-4-3 helped certain individuals to become more balanced and to have a bigger effect on the game. But there will be moments we have to change the system: we need to develop players that are flexible, that can play different systems, that see the game by space, decisions and time rather than just systems.