The Belgian Team at the 2022 World Cup: The Golden Guys of the Ambush Regim
The bronze medalist at the World Championship in Russia is probably dreaming of more now.
The Belgian team, one of the hidden favorites for the World Cup in Qatar, will play in group "F" at the tournament.
Belgium
Belgium has a humble history - it gained independence only in 1830. However, in less than two centuries, it has managed to be a major colonial power, the site of the first chemical attack in Ypres, one of the most developed countries in Europe. Belgium has well developed metallurgy and textile production, as well as diamond processing and mechanical engineering.
Belgium is home to painters Peter Paul Rubens and René Magritte, poets Emile Verhardt and Maurice Maeterlinck, the legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and comics about Tintin. As for sports, soccer, cycling and tennis are the most popular here. In 1920 Antwerp hosted the Summer Olympic Games.
Belgian national soccer team
The Belgians have one of the oldest teams in Europe, who played their first match in the late 19th century. In 1920, the Belgian players won the first and last international trophy so far, winning the home Olympics in Antwerp.
Belgium took part in the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay, but failed to scoop the laurels, losing to the United States - 0:3 and Paraguay - 0:1 and not making the playoffs. And for many years after that, reaching the 1/8 finals in 1934 and 1938 and the second group stage in 1982 were considered successful at most. The breakthrough came in 1986, when the Belgians assembled a solid squad with Jean-Marie Pfaff, Enzo Chiffault, Niko Klasen, Frank Vercauteren, Eric Gerets and Jan Kulemans. True, they got out of the group with difficulty, from third place, losing to Mexico - 1:2, defeating Iraq - 2:1, playing a draw with Paraguay - 2:2. In the 1/8 finals, not without the participation of judges Belgium defeated the Soviet Union - 4:3 in extra time, and in the quarterfinals, the team heroically defeated the Spaniards - 1:1, penalty shootout. 5:4. In semifinals no chance against Argentina with Maradona - 0:2. In the fight for the bronze with a little less brilliant France, they got to extra time, but lost again - 2:4.
In the 2010s, Belgium saw the emergence of an even stronger generation, which is called the golden generation. The golden generation has already won bronze at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In the group stage, the Belgians defeated Panama 3-0, Tunisia 5-2 and England 1-0, defeated the Japanese 3-2 in the 1/8 finals and knocked out the Brazilians 2-1 in the quarterfinals. The French were thwarted in the semifinals - 0-1, and in the fight for third place there was a second meeting with the English, and the goals of Tom Meunier and Eden Hazard brought victory again - 2:0.
Belgian national team stars
This golden generation is still in the ranks: goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, midfielders Kevin de Bruyne, Yuri Thielemans, Axel Witsel, strikers Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku are in the World Cup application.
The Belgians are not only one of the leaders in the FIFA rankings, but also one of the most entertaining teams in the world.
Opponents in Group F
Croatia, Canada, Morocco.
Belgium's national team performance forecast
The Belgians are not in the group of major title contenders, but they are in a kind of ambush regiment. They should be first in the group and reach at least the quarterfinals in the playoffs.