As were trailing Senegal in the Round of 32 match , Red Devils coach Rudi Garcia turned to Axel Witsel and the two exchanged some words. It was an image that did not go unnoticed.
“He just asked me for my thoughts," Witsel explained afterwards. “I simply said at the time that maybe we needed to get forward a bit more, try to press them and to win the ball back a bit higher up the pitch. I think that’s what we improved on in the second half.”
This scene illustrates the new role the veteran midfielder is now playing for his national side, having yet to feature in Belgium’s first four matches.
“I didn’t come here as a coach," Witsel insisted. "The manager often asks the senior players for advice, not just me, but he also speaks to Romelu [Lukaku], Kevin [De Bruyne], Thibaut [Courtois], and Thomas [Meunier]. He speaks to us all the time at the hotel.”
Witsel not only acts as an intermediary with Rudi Garcia, but also takes on the role of mentor to the younger players, with the 37-year-old midfielder’s advice helping them to perform to the best of their ability.
"I’ll give you an example. It was a little difficult for Diego [Moreira] at the start [of the World Cup], since he wasn’t getting many minutes," he explained. "Two or three days before the Senegal match, I spoke to him and told him to stay calm. We had a little chat.
“In the end, he was able to be patient and that allowed him to come on and change the dynamic of the game. He brought energy and had a huge impact at both ends of the pitch. So I suppose I’m playing that sort of role too."
“You can see how much quality a group has in the difficult moments," Garcia told FIFA.
It is also evident in the ability of the squad’s older players to pass on their experience. To get the better of the USA, who are co-hosts of the tournament and have impressed so far, Belgium will need to give it their all. “It will be the whole team that will make the difference," Witsel added, as he made a reference to between the two teams.
“It was a crazy match! I remember the intensity of the game and how I was completely exhausted at the end. I’m expecting a similar game on Monday in front of a full stadium who will be cheering them on, but we are ready to go.
“I think they’ve improved a lot, both technically and in terms of the intensity they can bring to the match, not to mention that their manager likes to press high up the pitch. So they are a much better side than in 2014. What we managed to achieve back then, with a young team and the few senior players we had, was incredible.”
Now one of the veterans of the squad, Witsel is determined to play a far more influential role than that of a big brother when Belgium face the and, he hopes, for the remainder of the Red Devils’ campaign. “I hope I can get some game time and contribute on the pitch,” he said. “I’m feeling calm and relaxed. I’m just waiting for my moment.”
Sources: FIFA Official
