So much talent, so many expectations, no victory. The elimination of the Belgium and Euro 2024after the defeat in the round of 16 against France, probably puts an end to the story of a generation of phenomena that failed to really make history in the big tournaments, be they World or European Championships. A generation led and symbolized by Kevin De Bruynewho after the race called a journalist stupid when he asked him exactly this: Why have the best talents Belgium has ever had never managed to win?
Just recall the names from 2014 to today: Nainggolan, Mertens, Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne, Courtois, Vertonghen, Witsel, Kompany. Talent, physical strength, international experience: nothing was missing from many players who have been part of the Belgian national team in the last 10 years. Some of them are among the most successful and titled in their respective clubs and together they have formed a group that has ended up for years at the first place in the world ranking, a group that was regularly credited as the big favourite to win a World Cup or a European Championship. And instead the golden generation Belgium has ended up disappointing almost always.
The Belgian Golden Generation started in South America and 2014 World Cup Brazil: the journey of Mertens and his teammates ended in the quarterfinals against Argentina, but it left the feeling that it was the beginning of a rise destined to give satisfaction, that it was the beginning of a beautiful and winning cycle. In 2015, in fact, in first place in the FIFA ranking appeared Belgium, who showed up at the 2016 European Championships as the favorite, but were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Wales.
I 2018 world cup russia have probably represented the pinnacle (but also the biggest regret) of this generation: the Belgians were capable of a perfect run in the qualifiers and in the group stage, even managing to eliminate the Neymar’s Brazil in the quarter-finals. But France dashed their dreams and from there a rivalry and resentment was ignited that was destined to last a long time and inflamed even more by the last confrontation at Euro 2024. But in 2018, precisely, in St. Petersburg the National team then led by Deschamps he won a semi-final played in the barricadein defense of Umtiti’s goal, and putting on the field the most classic catenaccio, which was worth the final and the elimination of a beautiful Belgium. “This match is the death of football,” commented in the Brussels area, which from that moment on began to carousel and burn flags every time France was eliminated from a tournament. That third place, however, represents the best result ever but never like that year had Belgium dreamed and hoped, and had all the means to do so, to reach the top of the world.
In 2021, the Red Devils’ run in a European Championship was stopped Mancini’s Italy and the following year, in the Nations League, it was once again France that extinguished dreams and ambitions of glory. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, De Bruyne and his teammates did not even get past the group stage, surprised by the talent of Morocco and Croatia. Euro 2024 was perhaps the last chance, and in fact the expectations, at least this time, were low or close to zero: the German coach, among other things, had already been the protagonist of the sensational exclusion of Courtoiswho returned from a very long injury but who closed the season with Real playing and winning. But of course, the goalkeeper is certainly the least of the problems.
Capitan De Bruyne, the visionary midfielder of Guardiola’s Cityclose to giving in to the Arab temptation, could be on his farewell step with the national team and his polemic in front of journalists after the elimination does not hide his frustration. Asked about the failures of the so-called golden generation, the captain answered but, as he walked away, he let slip a “stupid”, referring to the reporter, which has started to make the rounds on the web, fueling new controversies.
As it is Is it possible that a team with so much talent on its roster has never won? is perhaps part of the mysteries and beauty of the football, not always explainablemuch less with the FIFA rankings in hand. And perhaps Italy showed us this: when we won, in 2006 and 2021, we were not the strongest and most talented, but the most united, compact, gritty and dedicated to sacrifice. Belgium perhaps lacked nastiness when it counts, the ability to know how to win when you have the opportunity of a lifetime in front of you, the humility to play for each other, a guide on the bench who knew how to train but above all manage champions, in the style of Ancelotti or Lippi. Sometimes they simply lacked a pinch of luck, because that too is needed to define the difference between an eternal unfinished business and a historic winner.
