Register for FREE to read this article.

Already have an account?

You have article views left.
Register for FREE to read more articles.

Already have an account?

Remind me next time

The World Cup 2022 could be the final chance for Belgium's Golden Generation to win a major tournament. Manager Roberto Martinez takes a talented squad to the Qatar World Cup 2022. However, Martinez has had stacked squads before and failed to deliver the ultimate football prize.

Belgium finished in third place at the World Cup four years ago in Russia. The Red Devils defeated England in the third-place playoff. However, their accomplishment in Russia was overshadowed by being unable to reach the final.

Belgium will play in World Cup Group F. The Red Devils should walk through the group, at least on paper. Canada, Croatia, and Morocco will join Belgium in the group.

The Red Devils go into the tournament down the pecking order of favourites according to bookmakers. Some fans may believe the Belgium World Cup dream is over. Martinez will hope the side can surprise a few onlookers, especially with a relatively easy group stage. Can Belgium finally fulfil their potential at the World Cup 2022?

  • Manager: Roberto Martinez
  • Winners: Zero World Cup trophy wins but Belgium finished third in 2018, their best-ever finish.
  • Odds: 16/1 to win the World Cup 2022 outright
  • Prediction: Quarter-finals/Semi-finals - Belgium's World Cup group shouldn't slow them down. However, the knockout stage could be difficult. Belgium would face the runner-up of Group E if they win their group. Germany or Spain could be waiting for them in the last 16. Belgium would then potentially face Portugal in the semi-finals.

Belgium Betting Odds

singleSelection

Belgium's Golden Generation makes up most of the squad for the World Cup tournament. Martinez is sticking with the players he knows. However, these players are the ones that failed to bring home silverware in the last six years.

Bookmakers have Belgium at the best betting odds of 16/1 to win the tournament. The Red Devils have the seventh-best odds to win the World Cup 2022. Belgium should have no problems in the group stage. However, a strong Group F performance will only raise expectations that Belgium can win the World Cup.

The team's path to the final gets more difficult once the knockout stage begins. Belgium have potential games versus Spain, Germany, and Portugal on the docket. The bottom half of the World Cup is slightly easier than the top half.

If Belgium can reach the semi-finals, they would likely meet England or France. The French defeated Belgium four years ago to reach the World Cup final in Russia.

Bookmakers' best betting odds on Belgium reaching the final are at 7/1. The Red Devils are at the best betting odds of 3/1 to make the semi-finals. Bookmakers have Belgium at the odds of 10/11 to make the quarter-finals.

Belgium are 8/13 to win Group F. Bookmakers believe the Belgian squad will have no problem getting through the group stage as Group F winner.

One interesting bet being offered by some bookmakers is the most assists in the tournament market. It should be no surprise that Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne is leading the odds to tally the most assist in the competition. De Bruyne is at the best betting odds of 6/1 to tally the most assists. However, it should be noted he only had one in 2018.

Bookmakers also have De Bruyne as the odds favourite to be the team's top goalscorer. De Bruyne is 3/1 to score the most goals, while striker Michy Batshuayi is at 10/3. Romelu Lukaku is at the best betting odds of 4/1 to score the most goals for Belgium.

Style of Play

Roberto Martinez took charge of the Belgium national team in 2016. Although Belgium's Golden Generation offers so much promise, their only significant tournament finish was in 2018. Belgium won the third-place playoff game at the 2018 World Cup versus England.

Belgium are coming off a good, but unspectacular UEFA Nations League campaign. The Red Devils finished second in Group A4 with 10 points from six matches. The Netherlands topped the UEFA Nations League group to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament. It was another major tournament disappointment by Belgium.

Martinez will mix up his formations but stays true to a three-man defence. Belgium should play with a 3-4-2-1 formation or a variation of it. Martinez deploys wing-backs capable of giving the team width a pace on the flanks. Both wing-backs are able to cover defensively to help the three centre-backs defend.

Belgium's central midfielders are typically tough-tackling players capable of winning the ball and getting it forward to Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, or one of the other attacking players. Belgium will keep possession but they are equally dangerous on the counter-attack.

Martinez can use physical strikers such as Romelu Lukaku or Michy Batshuayi, or nimble, pacy players like Dries Mertens and Charles De Ketelaere. He has options and can alter the side for the opponent or moment.

Romelu Lukaku was injured for much of the Serie A season for Inter Milan before the international football break. He played just four Series A games and was an afterthought for many fans. Lukaku's fitness and motivation will be questioned by some onlookers. Batshuayi could get plenty of playing time after scoring five goals in seven games in the Turkish Super Lig for Fenerbahce.

How did Belgium Qualify for the World Cup?

Belgium's qualification campaign went smoothly with the team picking up 20 points from 24 points on offer in Group E. Belgium finished five points ahead of second-place Wales.

The Belgians did not have the most difficult group in UEFA qualifying. Along with Wales, the Red Devils played the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Belarus.

World Cup Group F isn't much more difficult than Belgium's World Cup qualification campaign. The Red Devils should walk through the group to reach the knockout stage.

Expectations in Belgium

Expectations for Belgium's World Cup campaign will be high back home. However, there will be plenty of fans worried that the team will once again collapse in a major tournament.

Belgium are not as highly fancied as in years past. The team's poor performance in the UEFA Nations League and inability to reach the semi-finals may have fans expecting another World Cup without the tournament's trophy.

The Red Devils have some of the best players in the world. Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will anchor the side. Real Madrid's Eden Hazard will also play as much as his body will allow. However, the two players are ageing, along with the rest of the squad. Martinez is going to the World Cup with many of the same players from four years ago and hoping for a different result.

If Belgium win the World Cup, it will feel like a great relief to many fans of the Red Devils. However, if they fail to reach the final once more, critics of the Belgian squad will have plenty of fuel for the fire of criticism.

Star Man

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne is the star man for the Belgians. De Bruyne looked fatigued in the opening portion of the Premier League season despite scoring three goals and assisting 13.

He goes into the tournament in form after scoring two goals and assisting one in Man City's last four games in the Premier League. This could be De Bruyne's last major tournament. He has 25 goals in 93 all-time appearances for the Belgium national team.

It will be De Bruyne's job to set up goals and dictate the pace of the attack. De Bruyne scored twice and assisted one goal in the 2018 World Cup. If Belgium want to win the tournament, De Bruyne may have to do even more.

Underrated Hero

Belgium World Cup goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is the team's most underrated hero. The Real Madrid goalkeeper goes into the tournament as Belgium's undisputed No 1.

Courtois isn't having the best season in La Liga. He has made 12 saves and kept zero clean sheets for Los Blancos. Although he kept three clean sheets in Europe.

Last season, Courtois reminded fans that he is the best goalkeeper competing in Spain. The Belgian No 1 won the man of the match award in the Champions League final, as Real Madrid defeated Liverpool.

Courtois has been capped 96 times by the Belgium national team. He kept 48 clean sheets in that time. In 2018, he kept three clean sheets in seven appearances for the Red Devils at the World Cup. Belgium won six of the seven games four years ago in Russia.

Belgium World Cup Squad

Here is the Belgium World Cup 2022 squad.

  • GK: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
  • GK: Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge)
  • GK Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg)
  • DF: Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht
  • DF: Toby Alderweireld (Royal Antwerp)
  • DF: Wout Faes (Leicester)
  • DF: Arthur Theate (Rennes)
  • DF: Zeno Debast (Anderlecht)
  • DF: Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund)
  • DF: Timothy Castagne (Leicester)
  • MF: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
  • MF: Youri Tielemans (Leicester)
  • MF: Amadou Onana (Everton)
  • MF: Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid)
  • MF: Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
  • MF: Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa)
  • MF: Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid)
  • MF: Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund)
  • FW: Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
  • FW: Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan)
  • FW: Leandro Trossard (Brighton)
  • FW: Dries Mertens (Galatasaray)
  • FW: Jeremy Doku (Rennes)
  • FW: Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)
  • FW: Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce)
  • FW: Lois Openda (Lens)

Belgium's World Cup Group

Belgium will play in World Cup Group F. Martinez would have been happy with the Belgium World Cup draw, as Canada, Croatia, and Morocco were drawn in the group as well.

Canada are playing in their first World Cup since 1986. Belgium won't be too worried about the Canadians. Morocco are good African team but are not on the same level as Belgium. Croatia should be Belgium's biggest rival for the top spot in the group. However, Croatia are not at the same level they were four years ago. Croatia were runner-up at the World Cup in Russia.

  • Belgium vs Canada - November 23
  • Belgium vs Morocco - November 27
  • Belgium vs Croatia - December 1

How Far Can Belgium Go?

Belgium will get out of their group with no fuss. The last 16 would through up a challenge against a team from Group E. Still, Belgium should be good enough to move on and qualify for the quarter-finals. The quarter-finals could throw up a tasty match versus Portugal. Portugal are just as strong as Belgium, and the match would be a thriller. Belgium could reach the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the World Cup. This may be their best chance to reach the final.

Prediction

singleSelection

Our betting tips prediction is for Belgium to get to the quarter-finals at the very least. The Red Devils will then have the chance to make the final four. It is possible Belgium would face Germany in the last 16, Portugal in the quarter-finals, and France in the semi-finals.

All three of those knockout stage games are winnable for Belgium. Germany are not at their previous levels, while Portugal are no better and no worse than Belgium. A semi-final against France would be a rematch of the 2018 semi-final in Russia.

France won the semi-fina 1-0 thanks to a Samuel Umtiti goal in the second half. It was nip and tuck in the semi-final. Belgium are four years older and many of the same players from the Golden Generation are still in the squad. The semi-finals could be once again the end point for the Red Devils at the World Cup.