PEOPLE have been saying “this is the Belgium Golden Generation’s last chance” for about three tournaments now but the 2022 World Cup really does feel like the last-chance saloon for this particular crop.
The Red Devils finished third in Russia and Dream Team World Cup bosses will definitely be backing them to progress from Group F, where they’ll meet Morocco, Canada and Croatia.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the star players, potential flops and bargain options among Roberto Martinez’s squad.
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STAR PLAYERS
With an ownership of 39.2%, Kevin De Bruyne is currently the most-popular midfielder among Dream Team World Cup gaffers and it’s hardly a surprise.
The Man City playmaker is arguably the best player in his position in the world right now – he’s registered 12 assists in all competitions at club level already this season.
De Bruyne averages a goal involvement every 104 minutes for Belgium – he’ll be Dream Team World Cup’s most-expensive midfelder when prices are finalised but immense quality comes at a price.
The last 18 months have been the best of Thibaut Courtois’ career from an individual perspective – he was a key contributor to Real Madrid’s latest Champions League triumph.
If you back Belgium to keep clean sheets in Qatar then you’re probably best off going straight to the source as the ageing defenders in front of him may be shuffled.
Up top, Romelu Lukaku remains the main man, despite limited involvement for Inter this term.
The hulking No9 has scored 68 goals in 102 appearances for Belgium – at 29 years old he’s already one of the most prolific goalscorers in international football history.
His preparation for the tournament may not be ideal but by the time the action is under in Qatar, Lukaku will be the focal point for a team stacked with creative talent – it’s always tempting to back the striker on the end of De Bruyne’s crosses.
POTENTIAL FLOPS
Eden Hazard was one of the best players on display at the last World Cup but the last three years have been miserable for the ex-Chelsea star.
Constantly dogged with injuries, he’s looked a shadow of his former self in a Real Madrid shirt – he’s mustered just four goals in 51 La Liga outings since 2019.
As Belgium captain, Hazard will surely start in Qatar but, realistically, how many Dream Team World Cup points is he going to earn given his current form?
The truth is that Leandro Trossard is more deserving of a spot in the starting line-up – Martinez may be able to fit both in.
Axel Witsel is unlikely to flop as he’s a reliable anchor in the middle of the park but his profile simply isn’t conducive to Dream Team World Cup success – stay clear of defensive-minded midfielders.
Incredibly, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are both still knocking about for the national team.
Both excellent centre-backs in their prime, they have 264 caps’ worth experience between but Father Time comes for all players eventually and the pair will not be relishing the prospect of taking on the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vincius Junior and company if they progress to the latter stages of the tournament.
BARGAIN OPTIONS
True bargains are hard to come by when shopping around the top teams but there some assets capable of providing value for money in Belgium’s ranks.
Youri Tielemans’ provisional price range of £3m – £3.5m feels generous given the Leicester man’s quality.
If he’s finalised at the lower end then he could well be worth a whirl as there have been plenty of goals and assists to share around among Martinez’s side in recent times.
It’s a similar story for Thomas Meunier, who has a sharper eye for goal than almost anyone else in his position.
If the Borussia Dortmund man continues as Belgium’s right wing-back then £3.5m – £4m could be reasonable – he’s been a notable performer at the last two major tournaments.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
