Belgium
Coach: Rudi Garcia
Starting XI Prediction
Star Players
All Players →
Fixtures
Group G
Group G
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
| 2 |  Egypt | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 |  Iran | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 |  New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 1 |
Full Squad Players List
| # | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||
| 1 | Thibaut CourtoisXI Real Madrid C. F. | GK | |
| 12 | Senne Lammens Manchester United FC | GK | |
| 13 | Mike Penders RC Strasbourg | GK | |
| Defenders | |||
| 2 | Zeno DebastXI Sporting CP | DEF | |
| 3 | Arthur TheateXI Eintracht Frankfurt | DEF | |
| 4 | Brandon Mechele Club Brugge | DEF | |
| 5 | Maxim De CuyperXI Brighton & Hove Albion FC | DEF | |
| 15 | Thomas Meunier Lille OSC | DEF | |
| 16 | Koni De Winter AC Milan | DEF | |
| 18 | Joaquin Seys Club Brugge | DEF | |
| 21 | Timothy CastagneXI Fulham FC | DEF | |
| 25 | Nathan Ngoy Lille OSC | DEF | |
| Midfielders | |||
| 6 | Axel Witsel Girona FC | MID | |
| 7 | Kevin De BruyneXI SSC Napoli | MID | |
| 8 | Youri TielemansXI Aston Villa FC | MID | |
| 19 | Diego Moreira RC Strasbourg | MID | |
| 20 | Hans Vanaken Club Brugge | MID | |
| 22 | Alexis Saelemaekers AC Milan | MID | |
| 23 | Nicolas Raskin Rangers FC | MID | |
| 24 | Amadou OnanaXI Aston Villa FC | MID | |
| Forwards | |||
| 9 | Romelu LukakuXI SSC Napoli | FWD | |
| 10 | Leandro TrossardXI Arsenal FC | FWD | |
| 11 | Jérémy DokuXI Manchester City FC | FWD | |
| 14 | Dodi Lukebakio SL Benca | FWD | |
| 17 | Charles De Ketelaere Atalanta Bergamo | FWD | |
| 26 | Matias Fernandez-Pardo Lille OSC | FWD | |
World Cup History
—
Titles
14
Appearances
80
WC Goals
28
Wins
Best finish: 3rd place (2018)
Top scorer: Romelu Lukaku (10 goals)
Most capped: Jan Vertonghen (18 matches)
Record: 28W – 11D – 24L
Belgium's 'Golden Generation' of De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku, Courtois, and Mertens were ranked number one in the world for four years — yet their peak achievement was third place in 2018. With 14 World Cup appearances, Belgium have a long history but a disappointing record relative to individual talent. The golden window has largely closed, and a new generation must now be built.
Tournament Eras
The Early Participant
1930–1970Belgium participated in the inaugural 1930 World Cup and appeared intermittently through the mid-20th century. Their performances were modest — the Red Devils were competitive without threatening the elite.
The 1986 Fourth Place
1982–1990Belgium's first major success came in Mexico 1986 — they finished fourth after beating the Soviet Union in the group stage, Spain in the Round of 16, and losing to Argentina (Maradona's tournament) in the semi-final. Jean-Marie Pfaff was arguably the world's best goalkeeper. Their performance was a genuine achievement for a small nation.
The Golden Generation — All Promise, Third Place
2014–2022Belgium reached the quarter-finals in 2014 (eliminating USA) and finished third in 2018 — their best result — beating Brazil in the quarter-finals and England in the third-place match. But they never beat a top team in a semi-final. De Bruyne, Hazard, and Lukaku could never collectively produce their best on the biggest stage. They were eliminated in the group stage in 2022.
Iconic Moments
Beating Brazil in 2018 — The Peak
Belgium's greatest World Cup win — a 2-1 defeat of Brazil in the quarter-finals, courtesy of a Fernandinho own goal and a De Bruyne rocket. Neymar and company were dominant at times, but Belgium's counter-attacking efficiency overcame them. It was the Golden Generation at its finest.
The 3-2 Comeback vs Japan — 2018 Round of 16
Trailing 2-0 with 24 minutes left against Japan, Belgium scored three times to win 3-2 — with Chadli's last-minute counter-attack goal from a Courtois save setting up the most dramatic finish. The comeback saved Belgium's tournament and sent them to the quarter-finals.