World Cup 2026: Belgium exits the World Cup after losing to Spain

The Belgium team that beat Algeria 2-1 in their first group stage game of the 2014 World Cup looked like an all-star fantasy team of key players.

Courtois, De Bruyne, Witsel and Lukaku all started, as did Eden Hazard, Moussa Dembele and Vincent Kompany, with Dries Mertens and Marouane Fellaini coming off the bench.

Belgium topped their group and reached the quarter-finals in their first World Cup since 2002, before going one further to reach the final four in 2018 and winning the third-place play-off.

The same group of players reached the quarter-finals of both Euro 2016 and 2020 before crashing out of the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Critics say such a talented group should have achieved more, but for a nation of less than 12 million people, was international success ever a realistic goal?

“To be a golden generation you have to win some gold and then you can be called,” said Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.

“It’s kept the expectations high in Belgium and it’s interesting that people look back at the players in that team because they’ve had a really good run with Lukaku, De Bruyne, Tielemans, Trossard.

“They were third in the last World Cup and seem to have forgotten Roberto Martinez as their manager. I’m not sure how much more you can ask for.

“Given the other teams, the England team of the golden age, who have such experience with Italy and managed to have a great Euro, alongside Spain, it’s a bit much to claim to win Belgium.”

Along with those famous names, Leandro Trossard (31), Brandon Mechele (33), Timothy Kasten (33), Hans Vanaken (33), and Thomas Meunier (34) may have played their last World Cup minutes.

Manager Rudy Garcia said after the match, “I’m disappointed for those who might not have made it back to the national team.”

“I took a team that I wanted to take as far as possible. My veteran players, who are probably on their way out, might have one last hurray.

“It’s a shame because I think everyone deserves to go far in this World Cup.”