World Cup 2022: Belgium - the aging, ailing devils.
(Baonghean.vn) - Having lost to Morocco 0-2, coach Roberto Martinez's team is facing the risk of being eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.
Heading to Qatar, Belgium is considered by experts to be one of the strongest contenders for the championship. Besides being a team that finished third at the 2018 World Cup, coach Roberto Martinez boasts a host of star players such as Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, and Romelu Lukaku.
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The Belgian players' disappointment after the loss to Morocco. Photo: Getty |
However, things are not going as expected. In their opening match against Canada, Eden Hazard and his teammates struggled to secure a narrow 1-0 victory. To be fair, Belgium didn't deserve the three points in that match. And let's not forget, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois successfully saved Alphonso Davies' penalty early in the first half.
In the second match, Belgium's weaknesses were thoroughly exploited by their opponents. With a poor style of play, coach Roberto Martinez's team was unable to penetrate the well-organized defense of the African representatives. Furthermore, mistakes by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and the defenders in front of him led to them conceding two quick goals.
After two matches against Canada and Morocco, it's clear that the burden of age is eroding the strength of the team nicknamed "The Red Devils". Statistics show that Belgium ranks fifth among teams with the highest average age at the 2022 World Cup (27.8 years old). It's easy to understand why Roberto Martinez's players were so thoroughly outplayed by the Canadian and Moroccan teams.
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| Captain Eden Hazard's form is at an alarming level. Photo: Getty |
If you had to pick the weakest link in Belgium's crumbling "machine," it would be Eden Hazard. Despite being the "leading devil," the former Chelsea player performed rather poorly. Coach Roberto Martinez was forced to substitute the superstar wearing the number 10 shirt early, even though his team was at a disadvantage. It's no coincidence that Eden Hazard wasn't favored by Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Ahead of their second match in Group F against Morocco, Kevin De Bruyne had to reluctantly admit: "Belgium has no chance of winning the World Cup, we're too old." Now, even the chances of Roberto Martinez's team progressing through the group stage are in doubt. If they fail to beat Croatia in the upcoming match, Belgium will almost certainly be eliminated from Qatar earlier than expected.
