The Belgium golden generation will have a go at it once again at a major tournament. This Red Devil team seems to get better and better with time. The core players are not just young prospects any more but key players for their teams now accustomed to winning. Kevin de Bryne is for the first time a premier league champions and was outstanding for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester city leading the premier league in assists for the second consecutive season. His playmaking ability is no fluke as De Bryne already lead the German league assist table in a break out Bundesliga player of the year season back in 2015. His club captain Vincent Kompany rolled back the years and finished the season strong lifting his third premier league title in the process. Eden Hazard and Tibo Cortouis are fresh off a FA Cup win and have won the premier league on more than one occasion. Belgium talent pool is the deepest it has ever been, Dries Mertens showed the whole of Europe that he has it in his locker to produce a 30 plus goal season. Manchester United looked toothless without an injured Romelu Lukaku towards the end of the season highlighting Lukaku's influence in his first season. The strikers 26 goals for Manchester United saw him gain a new found respect, who at 24 is already Belgium’s all-time leading goal scorer. The midfield is filled with players who are loaded with experience Moussa Dembélé, Radja Nainggolan, Marouane Fellaini have all played over 150 too flight games in Europe’s strongest leagues. Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are veteran premier league defenders who learned the game at the historic Ajax school and both have been named to premier league teams of the season in recent years. Michy Batshuayi was released from the shackles of the Chelsea bench and scored goals for fun in the Bundesliga 11 goals in 13 games is something the blues could have used this season. Roberto Martínez Has never lost the faith in Chinese based duo of Axel Witsel and Yannick Carrasco who are very much contributing members of this Belgium squad. The team should be all too familiar with the demands of a major World Cup and quarterfinal showings in the last World Cup and the last Euros the team might be ready to make that step up to at least a semi-final. What makes Belgium particularly interesting is the fact that they are not just a generation the players coming through after suggest that they will be a formidable force for some time to come.

 

Head Coach: Roberto Martinez

 

Population: 11 million

 

Appearances: 13

 

Best: 4th 1986

 

How they Qualified: 

 

Star Players: Eden Hazard(Chelsea), Kevin De Bruyne(Manchester City), Vincent Kompany(Manchester City), Thibaut Courtois(Chelsea), Romelu Lukaku(Manchester United)

 

Wildcard: Edén hazard, Hazard has all the ability in the world to lead Belgium to new heights. His technical ability is among the very best and if motivated he can dismantle any opposition game plan. His only criticism is maybe he does not score enough goals, and if Belgium is to play to its potential Hazard needs to on the scoresheet regularly. A big enough tournament coupled with Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League can see the very big clubs swoop for in what would be a record-breaking transfer for Hazard.

 

Legend:Paul Van Himst

GOALKEEPERS

 

Courtois, Thibaut -Chelsea FC (ENGLAND)

 

Mignolet, Simon-Liverpool FC (ENGLAND)

 

 

 

DEFENDERS

 

Vertonghen, Jan - Tottenham Hotspur(ENGLAND)

 

Alderweireld, Toby  Tottenham Hotspur(England)

 

Meunier, Thomas-PSG(France) 

 

Vermaelen, Thomas - FC Barcelona(SPain) 

 

Laurent Ciman, Laurent-LaFC (USA)

 

Vincent Kompany-Manchester City(ENgland) 

 

 

 

MIDFIELDERS

 

kevin De Bruyne-Manchester City(england) 

 

Axel Witsel-Tianjin QuanjiaN(China)

 

Youri Tielemans-AS Monaco(France)

 

Marouane Fellaini-Manchester United(England) 

 

Thorgan Hazard-Borussia Mönchengladbach(Germany) 

 

Moussa Dembélé-Tottenham Hotspur(England)

 

Leander Dendoncker-Anderlecht(Belgium)

 

  

 

FoRWARDS

 

Romelu Lukaku-Manchester United(England) 

 

Chadli, Nacer England West Bromwich Albion 

 

Dries Mertens-SSC Napoli(Italy)

 

Yannick Ferreira Carrasco-Dalian Yifang(china)

 

Eden Hazard-Chelsea FC(England)

 

Michy Batshuayi-Chelsea(ENgland) 

 

Christian Benteke-Crystal Palace(England)

)