Belgium will be out to right the wrongs of their appearance at the World Cup in Qatar four years ago, when the Red Devils imploded in the Middle East.
In the final throes of their ‘Golden Generation’ the Belgian team, then managed by Roberto Martinez, crashed out in the group stages amid reports of in-fighting in the camp.
Belgium won their opening match 1-0 against Canada, but fell to a 2-0 defeat to Morocco in their second. After Kevin De Bruyne had claimed Belgium were ‘too old’ to win the tournament, defender Jan Vertonghen commented after the defeat ‘We probably also attack badly because we are too old, that must be it now, surely?’ in an apparent dig at his team-mate.
The result left Belgium needing to beat Croatia in their final match to progress to the knock-out stages, but they were ultimately held to a goalless draw with Romelu Lukaku missing a series of chances. Lukaku was seen punching a screen as he left the pitch in Qatar after their elimination.
The fall-out saw Martinez confirm he was stepping down as manager, while five members of the squad paid to fly home separately from their team-mates.
De Bruyne and Lukaku are among the survivors from that World Cup and – four years older – will surely be gracing this stage for the final time.
