Belgium’s “Golden Generation” is running out of time

Since then, they have been traveling to tournaments as secret favorites; third place at the 2018 World Cup was the highest of emotions. The world number one has hardly lost a game for years. Eden Hazard and Co. are overripe for big things. But time seems to be running out.

The once young team is not yet over-aged, but one or two players seem to have already passed their peak. Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Vermaelen, Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel are over 30, Thibaut Courtois, Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku just below. With an average age of 28,7 years, the Belgians now have the oldest and most experienced squad of all European Championship teams. You are under pressure to succeed. Now or never? “I think it's 'now or never' for them. Many of the players are now the perfect age to make it,” said star coach Jose Mourinho on British sports radio talkSPORT about the Belgians. Their path to the European Championship was practically flawless with ten wins in ten qualifying games with 40:3 goals. At the European Championships, the group with Denmark, Russia and Finland should not be a yardstick for the title candidate. The Danes will probably be the toughest competition.

Under Roberto Martinez, who has been national coach for almost five years, Belgium has only lost four of 56 games. It hurt to be eliminated in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals against eventual champions France as the better team. At the World Cup four years before, Hazard and Co. ended in the quarter-finals against Argentina, and at the 2016 European Championships, they also surprisingly made it to the quarter-finals against Wales. Martinez then took over. Important supports not in top shape The Spaniard trusts in his proven squad. Of the eight Belgians with the most international matches in the country's history, no fewer than six are in the European Championship squad. The country's top two goalscorers, record scorers Lukaku (60 goals) and Hazard (32), are also still active. Hazard in particular highlights the Belgians' problem: important pillars don't necessarily go into the tournament in top form.

The Real star has been struggling with injuries since moving from Chelsea to Madrid. It wasn't until May that Hazard started playing regularly again. No reason for Martinez to doubt him. In the last European Championship test, a 1-0 win against runner-up Croatia, the offensive star only made an eight-minute short appearance in the team jersey after a year and a half break. “It’s not how long Eden plays, it’s that he plays. “It’s a big step mentally,” said Martinez. “When will Eden be ready for 90 minutes again? “It’s hard to say,” said the coach. A bitter failure is imminent De Bruyne suffered fractures to his face in the Champions League final and is in danger of missing the first few games. Martinez probably only plans properly with the professional from Manchester City in the knockout phase. Dortmund's Witsel hasn't played a game since January after tearing his Achilles tendon. Positive for the Belgians: Young talent is also available with the 24-year-old midfielder Youri Tielemans from Leicester City and the 19-year-old winger Jeremy Doku from Stade Rennes.

One bank is Romelu Lukaku. The 28-year-old from Inter is almost unstoppable for opposing defenders. 60 goals in 93 international matches speak for the qualities of the 1,90 m man. Lukaku should be the guarantee that Belgium achieves a big success. The goalscorer himself said after the success against Croatia: “Now it’s about being focused and getting all the players XNUMX percent fit. Then a lot is possible.”

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Belgium’s “Golden Generation” is running out of time

The coronation has so far been denied to Belgium's “Golden Generation”. Since the “Red Devils” came back into focus from their temporary obscurity almost ten years ago, they have been chasing a title.

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