UEFA Euro 2024 Team Previews: Belgium
UEFA Euro 2024 is just weeks away from kicking off in Germany. Over the next 17 days, we will be previewing each team that will be taking part in Europe’s biggest football tournament. Check out all of the team previews that have been done so far. Up next is Belgium.
Belgium has made the quarter-finals in the last two Euros but shockingly went out in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. With an experienced team nearing the end of their golden era, there’s a chance that this could be their final run at a major trophy. “The Red Devils” will be heading to Euro 2024 in great form not having lost since that disastrous World Cup in 2022. Thanks to their 14-match unbeaten streak, Belgium has risen to third in the FIFA rankings. This is their highest ranking since being second ahead of the last World Cup.
Euro Appearances
After qualifying just once for the Euros from 1988 to 2012, Belgium will be heading to their third straight tournament at Euro 2024. “The Red Devils” qualified for Euro 2000 as a co-host with the Netherlands. Their first appearance came in 1972 once again as the host nation before they made two straight tournaments in 1980 and 1984.
Best Finish at the Euros
Belgium made it to the semifinals at Euro 1972 but fell to West Germany 2-1. The only time they have gone further was in their next appearance at Euro 1980. However, “The Red Devils” once again fell short losing to West Germany for a second time 2-1 in the final. Their runner-up finish is the best that they have placed at a Euros.
Key players
The leader of this Belgium team is none other than Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne. De Bruyne just made his 100th cap for “The Red Devils” in their most recent friendly against Montenegro. His influence on the Belgian team goes beyond the pitch. There was some tension between the captain and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois which may have played a factor in the latter being left out of the Euro 2024 squad. Courtois did suffer an ACL injury this past season but recovered to win the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid. The absence of Courtois leaves some inexperience in goal for Belgium. Courtois has 102 caps while Koen Casteels, Matz Sels, and Thomas Kaminski have a combined 18 appearances for the national team.
There is still plenty of experience elsewhere on this Belgium side. The two most capped players in Belgium’s history will once again patrol the defense and midfield. Jan Vertonghan has 154 caps and has been a staple in the defense of Belgium since his first call-up in 2007. Axel Witsel will be alongside De Bruyne in the midfield with his 131 caps. Leading the way up top is once again Romelu Lukaku. The Roma striker led all of Euro 2024 qualifying with 14 goals. This is more than the 13 goals he scored in the Serie A season in 32 matches. He will need some support from the likes of Leandro Trossard and Jérémy Doku if “The Red Devils” are to make a deep run at Euro 2024.
Manager
Following their terrible World Cup in 2022 a change was needed and Domenico Tedesco was named the manager in replacement of Roberto Martínez. Tedesco had previously managed three clubs in Germany including RB Leipzig as well as Spartak Moscow in Russia. Through his 13 matches in charge of “The Red Devils,” Tedesco has a winning percentage of 69.23 with nine wins and four draws.
Biggest Group Game – vs Ukraine on June 26
The highest-ranked team besides Belgium in Group E is Ukraine. This is who “The Red Devils” close out the group stage against. Finishing second in the group would result in playing the runner-up of Group D, likely France or Netherlands, in the round of 16. Neither of those teams is one you want to play to kick off the knockout stage. So winning this match could be crucial to secure a slightly easier path at Euro 2024.
Prediction
Belgium has all the pieces to put together a run at Euro 2024 and that starts with the group stage. Group E has some dark horse candidates in Romania and Ukraine. However, I do not see either of them uprooting “The Red Devils” to win the group. Winning Group E at Euro 2024 would see Belgium face a third-place team that they should be able to beat, even if that was to be Croatia which is possible. Unfortunately, this would rest in a quarterfinal match against France, which is where I see their Euros end for a third straight time.
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