European Championship start against Russia: The problems of Belgium's "golden generation"

Anyone who has read the headlines about Belgium in the past few weeks is likely to have doubts about this permanent favorite.

Star player Kevin De Bruyne?

Was knocked out in the Champions League final and then underwent facial surgery.

Captain Eden Hazard?

Has almost chronic physical problems and not played a single international match between November 2019 and June 2021.

Dortmund's Axel Witsel?

Has only just returned from a serious Achilles tendon injury and is on the squad despite not having been on a football pitch for months.

De Bruyne and Witsel did not even travel to the European Championship opening game in St. Petersburg and will be absent against Russia on Saturday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship, on ZDF and MagentaTV). But staff worries or not, the third place in the 2018 World Cup is again one of the closest favorites. "We are better than 2018," announced world-class striker Romelu Lukaku before the start of the tournament. Three years ago at the World Cup, the team around the beefy Lukaku and the technically outstanding De Bruyne overran record world champions Brazil, among others, and failed in the semifinals only after one standard against eventual champion France.

National coach Roberto Martínez from Spain has extremely talented staff available.

Lukaku is one of the world's best strikers, he's dynamic, assertive and ice cold in front of goal.

De Bruyne is even in Manchester City's star ensemble a protagonist who outshines everything else, who can occupy all positions from the central midfield to the false nine.

Hazard is not touched

The return of the 28-year-old redhead, who should not be on the field until the second group game against Denmark at the earliest, is particularly eagerly awaited by the Red Devils.

The preliminary round group with Russia, Denmark and Finland shouldn't be a big problem for Quali-Primus Belgium (ten wins, 40: 3 goals).

But in the knockout games Martínez relies heavily on his veterans De Bruyne and Hazard.

The head coach recently said about De Bruyne that he was “world footballing level”.

And Hazard, who dragged his way through Real Madrid after his phenomenal World Cup 2018, attested the head coach to such excellent skills that he did not touch his captain.

“What he achieves in this environment is impressive.

He can get back to his top level in the next few weeks, ”announced Martínez.

It is the much-praised “golden generation” who still shape the Belgian national team.

After the unsuccessful European Championship at home in 2000, the association dared to boldly realign its structures and youth sector.

The reward came around a decade and a half later with a selection of outstanding staff who have rightly been ennobled as co-favorites or secret favorites at the World Cup and European Championship for years.

Since the 2014 World Cup, only Belgium and France among Europe's top teams have reliably reached the quarter-finals of major tournaments.

The difference is: France has the World Cup trophy, Belgium only leads the FIFA world rankings.

“I am proud of number one in the world rankings.

But I'd rather be world champion and 20th in this ranking, ”said defender Jan Vertonghen.

In addition to the physical question marks around the star trio, Belgium has two other big problems: The vulnerable and outdated defense around the 34-year-old Vertonghen.

And the missing next generation, which is clearly visible in the 26-strong EM squad.

The 19-year-old storm talent Jérémy Doku is the only glimmer of hope.

Midfielder Youri Tielemans and winger Timothy Castagne are also happy to be counted in this squad, but are already 24 and 25. They should be in Belgium's starting XI, but the focus will once again be on the veterans around Lukaku.