The Devils seen by the foreign press: “Martinez clings to his golden generation and this could be his downfall” | red devils

“In Spain they know that Belgium have a good team. They always tell me that they pay attention to our country,” Thibaut Courtois told HLN on Wednesday. “Most people don’t see the Red Devils as favorites for the World Cup, they see them as underdogs. Brazil and Argentina are the big favourites, followed by a few other countries. I think that includes us.” “Mundo Deportivo” brings a certain nuance: “Belgium arrives at the World Cup in Qatar with a team that has never won anything. The Belgian selection is the eternal contender for surprise. Whether they live up to expectations remains to be seen.”

Everyone knows that Belgium was number one in the FIFA rankings for many years, enjoying a golden generation that is now aging. Many newspapers believe that this World Cup in Qatar is the last chance for these Devils to shine. “The circle is complete. In 2014 they were shadow favourites, in 2018 they were heavy favorites, and now they are underdogs again. But everything is possible“, summarizes the English newspaper “The Telegraph”.

The general trend is that the Red Devils will reach at least the round of 16. “Normally, Belgium should pass the group stage without too many difficulties. In previous editions, we have seen that the knockout phase is always difficult. The Belgians have a chance to go far”, writes the football statistics site “Squawka”.

“The defeats in the League of Nations against the Netherlands were a test of reality”, analyzes “Al Jazeera”. “Over the years, the Devils have been accustomed to playing mainly against smaller footballing countries. Against these teams, with their talent, they win easily, but when it comes to facing the best countries, they are not up to the task. If Belgium want to go far at the World Cup, their best players need to be at the top of their game. It’s not win.”

The French newspaper “L’Équipe” goes in the same direction: “The defense has aged considerably. The tank is thin and this is a problem. Also, Lukaku and Hazard have barely played this season. “No team has won an international tournament with such an old defense”, confirms “FourFourTwo”. The website “90min.com” goes even further. “Any team with a bit of speed in their ranks can put Alderweireld and Vertonghen in trouble. If the Red Devils pass the group stage, they will meet Spain or Germany. It will be a problem either way.”

“In short: time has caught up with too many players in this selection. Not only Alderweireld and Vertonghen, but also Axel Witsel, Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard and even Romelu Lukaku had their best years. This Belgian team is therefore only a shadow of the dangerous team it once was. Belgium clings to its golden generation like an old Premier League player clings to his last strands of hair until a transplant becomes inevitable.”

“ESPN” also writes on its website that the Red Devils had their best years. “The golden generation reached the semi-finals, but now we are four years later. And the weather hasn’t been very good for a lot of players. Eden Hazard has been forgotten at Real Madrid, Romelu Lukaku is injured. This team is unlikely to perform very well.”

Not everyone is so negative. Many international media see two great forces with Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois. The newspaper “L’Équipe” does not hesitate to call Courtois the best goalkeeper in the world. The German newspaper “Sportschau” agrees: “He is the best active goalkeeper in this World Cup anyway. Just think of his performance in the Champions League final against Liverpool with Real Madrid. Courtois has won everything there is to win. He only needs one award with the Belgian national team and he particularly deserves it”.

In the English-speaking media, Kevin De Bruyne is logically put forward. “In favor of the Belgians: few countries can say that they have the best goalkeeper and the best midfielder in the world in their ranks. So if this is the last chance tournament for this golden generation, it’s all about De Bruyne,” writes FourFourTwo. “It’s always a pure joy to see him at work. With his vista and his passes, he is the man who can open an entire defense in a fraction of a second. He was once quiet and shy, now at 31 he is a leader in the locker room.”

“Squawka” describes it no differently. “De Bruyne’s performance will determine how well Belgium progress in this World Cup. He is the heart of the team.” 90min.com adds: “Now that Hazard’s light has gone out, Belgium depend on De Bruyne. In the Belgium team, he plays high up in the field in a fairly free role. The team would actually benefit from him playing more as a midfielder. In this way, a place would become free for Leandro Trossard.”

Coach Roberto Martínez is also scrutinized. “Three years after the semi-finals in Russia, Roberto Martínez remained very conservative at the Euro”, writes ‘L’Équipe’. ‘The Catalan hasn’t changed his system since his second game for the Red Devils in 2016. With his training, Martínez favors ball possession and technical, polished football on the pitch.

FourFourTwo has another view: “Martínez clings to his veterans. The golden generation has lost its luster, but the Spaniard refuses to see it just yet. His loyalty to the old guard could be his downfall. The new generation of De Ketelaere had little time to settle in. Martínez hesitates when things go less well. At the Euro against Italy, he waited 70 minutes to intervene. Where was his plan B?”

“Roberto Martínez and his team are considered by many to be outsiders,” writes the New York Times in conclusion. “It allows them to start the tournament for the first time in years without too much pressure or high expectations. Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku are considered players of the past. Maybe it’s a blessing.”