The “golden generation” of Belgium gets what appears to be its last chance to put on a World Cup show as Roberto Martinez leads the Red Devils into the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Kevin de Bruyne and his international cohorts lived up to high expectations as young stars and led Belgium into a new age of the international game. They reached the quarter-finals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, losing 1–0 to Argentina, and finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, by far the nation’s best World Cup finish.
Now ranked second in the world, Belgium are still often underrated among many other established World Cup powers such as Brazil, France, Spain and Germany.
This team is deep and dangerous on offense, but has a number of weaknesses that teams could exploit. Still, Martinez is a top-notch coach who knows how to get the most out of his players by putting them in the best position to succeed.
Projected Belgium World Cup squad 2022
Martinez has until Friday, October 21 to submit an official preliminary list of 35-55 players to FIFA, from which he will select his final 26-man roster for Qatar by Monday, November 14.
Based on World Cup qualifying squads and friendly rosters over the past year, these are the names most likely to be on Martinez’s preliminary list.
Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid (SPA) | 30 | 96 |
GK | Simon Mignolet | Club Brugge (BEL) | 34 | 35 |
GK | Koen Casteels | Wolfsburg (GER) | 30 | 4 |
GK | Matz Sels | Strasbourg (FRA) | 30 | 2 |
DEF | Toby Alderweireld | Royal Antwerp (BEL) | 33 | 123 |
DEF | Jan Vertonghen | Anderlecht (BEL) | 35 | 141 |
DEF | Thomas Meunier | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 31 | 58 |
DEF | Timothy Castagne | Leicester City (ENG) | 26 | 25 |
DEF | Dedryck Boyata | Club Brugge (BEL) | 31 | 31 |
DEF | Jason Denayer | Al Ahli (UAE) | 27 | 35 |
DEF | Zeno Debast | Anderlecht (BEL) | 18 | 2 |
DEF | Arthur Theate | Stade Rennes (FRA) | 22 | 3 |
DEF | Brandon Mechele | Club Brugge (BEL) | 29 | 3 |
DEF | Wout Faes | Leicester City (ENG) | 24 | 1 |
MID | Kevin de Bruyne | Manchester City (ENG) | 31 | 93 |
MID | Youri Tielemans | Leicester City (ENG) | 54 | 5 |
MID | Leander Dendoncker | Aston Villa (ENG) | 27 | 29 |
MID | Amadou Onana | Everton (ENG) | 21 | 2 |
MID | Yannick Carrasco | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 29 | 59 |
MID | Axel Witsel | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 33 | 126 |
MID | Charles de Ketelaere | AC Milan (ITA) | 21 | 10 |
MID | Dennis Praet | Leicester City (ENG) | 28 | 15 |
MID | Adnan Januzaj | Sevilla (SPA) | 27 | 15 |
MID | Albert Lokonga | Arsenal (ENG) | 22 | 1 |
MID | Leandro Trossard | Brighton (ENG) | 27 | 21 |
MID | Hans Vanaken | Club Brugge (BEL) | 30 | 22 |
MID | Thorgan Hazard | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 29 | 45 |
FWD | Romelu Lukaku | Inter Milan (ITA) | 29 | 102 |
FWD | Michy Batshuayi | Fenerbahce (TUR) | 29 | 47 |
FWD | Christian Benteke | D.C. United (USA) | 31 | 45 |
FWD | Dries Mertens | Galatasaray (TUR) | 35 | 106 |
FWD | Eden Hazard | Real Madrid (SPA) | 31 | 122 |
FWD | Divock Origi | AC Milan (ITA) | 27 | 32 |
FWD | Jeremy Doku | Stade Rennes (FRA) | 20 | 10 |
FWD | Yari Verschaeren | Anderlecht (BEL) | 21 | 7 |
FWD | Lois Openda | Lens (FRA) | 22 | 4 |
FWD | Dodi Lukebakio | Hertha BSC (GER) | 25 | 5 |
FWD | Dante Vanzeir | Union SG (BEL) | 24 | 1 |
Final 26-man Belgium World Cup roster
Most players who will play for Belgium at the World Cup are already assured of their place in the squad, barring only an injury before the tournament begins.
There are a few choices for Martinez to make between young up-and-coming players, but for the most part his group is set with top talent from across the Big 5 European leagues.
There is one injury to track, as full-back Thomas Meunier suffered a broken cheekbone on October 16 on club duty, leaving his status for the World Cup in doubt. Borussia Dortmund stated that he would not play again for the club until after the World Cup, but he has not yet been ruled out of the international tournament.
Here’s a look at a plausible final 26 Martinez could select, assuming all players are fit and ready.
Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid (SPA) | 30 | 96 |
GK | Simon Mignolet | Club Brugge (BEL) | 34 | 35 |
GK | Koen Casteels | Wolfsburg (GER) | 30 | 4 |
DEF | Toby Alderweireld | Royal Antwerp (BEL) | 33 | 123 |
DEF | Jan Vertonghen | Anderlecht (BEL) | 35 | 141 |
DEF | Thomas Meunier | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 31 | 58 |
DEF | Timothy Castagne | Leicester City (ENG) | 26 | 25 |
DEF | Dedryck Boyata | Club Brugge (BEL) | 31 | 31 |
DEF | Jason Denayer | Al Ahli (UAE) | 27 | 35 |
DEF | Zeno Debast | Anderlecht (BEL) | 18 | 2 |
MID | Kevin de Bruyne | Man City (ENG) | 31 | 93 |
MID | Hans Vanaken | Club Brugge (BEL) | 30 | 22 |
MID | Youri Tielemans | Leicester City (ENG) | 54 | 5 |
MID | Leander Dendoncker | Aston Villa (ENG) | 27 | 29 |
MID | Amadou Onana | Everton (ENG) | 21 | 2 |
MID | Yannick Carrasco | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 29 | 59 |
MID | Axel Witsel | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 33 | 126 |
MID | Charles de Ketelaere | AC Milan (ITA) | 21 | 10 |
MID | Leandro Trossard | Brighton (ENG) | 27 | 21 |
MID | Thorgan Hazard | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 29 | 45 |
FWD | Romelu Lukaku | Inter Milan (ITA) | 29 | 102 |
FWD | Michy Batshuayi | Fenerbahce (TUR) | 29 | 47 |
FWD | Dries Mertens | Galatasaray (TUR) | 35 | 106 |
FWD | Eden Hazard | Real Madrid (SPA) | 31 | 122 |
FWD | Divock Origi | AC Milan (ITA) | 27 | 32 |
FWD | Jeremy Doku | Stade Rennes (FRA) | 20 | 10 |
Belgium World Cup group
The Red Devils have been drawn into Group F. Only the top two teams in each group will advance.
Belgium are the highest-ranked team in Group F and will open the tournament against John Herdman and Canada, before taking on African powers Morocco and 2018 finalists Croatia.
With a knockout place possibly already in hand, the final game against Croatia could be a solid litmus test of how ready Belgium is for their chase of World Cup glory.
World Cup Group F fixtures and match schedule
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Wed, Nov. 23 | Morocco vs. Croatia | 5 a.m. | Al Bayt |
Wed, Nov. 23 | Belgium vs. Canada | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
Sun, Nov. 27 | Belgium vs. Morocco | 8 a.m. | Al Thumama |
Sun, Nov. 27 | Croatia vs. Canada | 11 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
Thurs, Dec. 1 | Croatia vs. Belgium | 10 a.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
Thurs, Dec. 1 | Canada vs. Morocco | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |