Belgium, man-for-man, have one of the best squads in the World Cup…
Much like last time, the Western Europeans have qualified for the World Cup with ease. It was quite predictable given Belgium’s pool of players which, right down the spine, is as good as any in the world. Led by Vincent Kompany, this Belgium team has the kind of players who show up once in a generation. With Thibaut Courtois in goal, Alderweireld and Vertonghen in defence, De Bruyne in midfield, Hazard as the creative force, and Lukaku leading the line, they can assemble a side capable of beating anyone.
They entered the 2014 World Cup as the tournament’s dark-horses. However, the Belgians failed to live up to their potential, and that was largely due to the negative tactics of Marc Wilmots. The nation is entering the prestigious competition again with a very similar squad, but also with a little more experience. With Roberto Martinez in the dugout, a lot is expected of this team.
Belgium’s World Cup squad is stacked 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OurNmlfiLU
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 4, 2018
The Tactics
Roberto Martinez prefers to play a 3-4-3, but his style-of-play is akin to what it was during his time at Everton. Back then, he played a 4-3-3 with the full-backs pushing forward and the defensive midfielder positioning himself in between the two centre-backs to essentially create a back-three. The Spanish tactician places a special emphasis on pressing from the front, and on building attacks from the back when the opportunity arises.
Unfortunately, this Belgium side continues to face criticism as they’re accused of having a system but lacking any identity. It also seems that Martinez has a tendency to fall short against more experienced managers, which was evident during his time in the Premier League. In simple terms, one could say that he does not posses a Plan B for tricky situations. For example, he plays Dembele and De Bruyne as attack-minded holding midfielders, and while this may work against the supposedly weaker teams, it will inevitably be found wanting against the big-guns in the latter stages of the tournament.
The Talisman
The Red Devils will look to their talisman, Eden Hazard, for inspiration. Despite the wonderful season Kevin De Bruyne has had, there is no doubt that Hazard is the team’s best player. He’s the one with the X factor, and subsequently the ability to win a game on his own. Belgium will need the Chelsea midfielder at the peak of his powers if they are to make their mark on the World Cup.
A look at the top-6 best rated players in the Belgium World Cup squad — How far will the Red Devils go in Russia this summer? pic.twitter.com/L0dP3B7Scg
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 6, 2018
The Expectations
The weight of the expectations placed on them is burdensome for Belgium. However, this squad possesses plenty of quality and has the players necessary to carry the nation’s hopes on their shoulders. The biggest obstacle in the path of this Belgium team is not their opposition, but their own mental block. If they can overcome their psychological impediment, then there’s absolutely no reason why this team can’t go all way in the World Cup.