Rejuvenated Belgium boosted by young blood at Euro 2024

All that glitters is not a golden generation without silverware. But after a distinctly dull 2022 World Cup, Belgium have shown a glint of promise again, even if they appear much changed.

Gone are the likes of Eden Hazard and Toby Alderweireld through retirement, Dries Mertens via a phasing-out process, and Thibaut Courtois after a murky row with his coach.

Also changed is the man in the dugout for Euro 2024, after Roberto Martinez’s failed six-year quest to lead the Red Devils to their first major trophy ended with a limp group-stage exit in Qatar two years ago.

That kind of showing usually portends a period in the relative doldrums, reminiscing wistfully at the sojourn Belgium had as serial contenders and Fifa’s top-ranked team.

But coach Domenico Tedesco, appointed in February 2023, has managed to create a cohesive mix of golden generation leftovers and young upstarts.

Ahead of the start of Belgium’s Group E campaign on June 17, he has yet to lose any of his 14 matches at the helm, winning 10 of them.

The Red Devils beat Germany in March 2023 and were seconds away from besting England at Wembley a year later, before a 95th-minute equaliser saw the game end 2-2.

That is not to say Belgium have the same aura of genuine title contenders between 2016 and 2018, but as captain and golden generation holdover Kevin de Bruyne put it: “I don’t think we are top favourites, but I don’t think there are many countries keen to play us. You can see that the young players give us new energy.”

Some of those youngsters have slotted in alongside the Manchester City playmaker in midfield, with Everton’s Amadou Onana, 22, now a fixture alongside the 32-year-old in the middle of the park.

But it is up front that Belgium have seen the most rejuvenation. Wingers Jeremy Doku, 22, and Johan Bakayoko, 21, have had breakthrough seasons at City and PSV Eindhoven respectively.

Doku has had the most successful dribbles in Europe’s big five leagues since 2022-23, prompting Tedesco to say: “I don’t think a centre-half would opt to be in a one-on-one situation with him if he could avoid it.

“He can change a game.”

For goals, Belgium are still likely to rely on 31-year-old record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku. His 14 goals from eight qualifiers is a new mark. The striker scored once every 39 minutes and found the net with almost half of his 29 shots.

But even if he sputters, the Red Devils have options. RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda, 24, is coming off a 28-goal season, while 23-year-old Charles de Ketelaere won the Europa League with Atalanta, racking up 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

Belgium’s problems are further back in defence. Real Madrid’s Courtois is streets ahead of Belgium’s other goalkeeping options but has not featured since a row over the captaincy with Tedesco.

That 37-year-old Jan Vertonghen remains a regular in the backline also highlights the Red Devils’ defensive deficiencies.

Shevchenko tees up Rebrov

At the last Euro in 2021, Andriy Shevchenko led Ukraine to the quarter-finals – their best European Championship showing.

The coaching baton has since been passed on to his long-time Dynamo Kyiv and national team strike partner Serhiy Rebrov, who like in their playing days must be thanking Shevchenko for teeing him up for success.

One indication of Ukraine’s progression since the last Euro is the fact they have arguably their best forward since Shevchenko and Rebrov in Artem Dovbyk of Girona. He was La Liga’s top scorer this term with 24 goals.

Dovbyk will not be short of support, thanks to Girona teammate and wide man Viktor Tsyhankov, Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk, Genoa playmaker Ruslan Malinovskyi, Arsenal’s utility man Oleksandr Zinchenko and Shakhtar Donetsk’s coveted midfielder Georgiy Sudakov.

In defence, Illia Zabarnyi was the Supporters’ Player of the Season in Bournemouth’s best-ever season, with fullback Vitaliy Mykolenko an Everton regular.

Behind them, Rebrov is so spoilt for choice he has not decided between Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and his Benfica counterpart Anatoliy Trubin for the starting spot.

If that improved quality is not enough, there is also the inimitable motivation to give their compatriots some footballing respite amid Russia’s invasion.

“I thank our warriors for me being able to keep playing football, progress and sleep peacefully,” said Sudakov of the Ukrainans on the frontline.

The Italian job gains focus

Usually, impressive work at club level earns one national team honours, but in Francesco Calzona’s case, it was his work with Slovakia that earned him his first Serie A coaching gig, at Napoli for the final three months of the season.

But now the Italian’s attention is back entirely with Slovakia after leading them to Germany relatively routinely, losing just twice in qualifying. Those losses were to Portugal, the only team who had a 100 per cent record in qualifying, and only a goal separated the sides in both matches.

On their performances against Portugal, Calzona said: “We have shown we don’t just have to suffer against them (top teams), that our goal is to always be proactive and earn the respect of opponents of this level.”

No stars but there is a Hagi

Romania are one of six teams who qualified unbeaten, surprisingly topping Group I ahead of Switzerland. It is no mean feat considering the last time they topped a qualifying group for a major tournament, they earned a berth at Euro 2008.

Coach Edward Iordanescu has managed to pull this off without stars – the most eye-catching player in his side is Ianis Hagi, mainly because his father is the legendary Gheorghe Hagi.

Hagi senior summed up the importance of Romania’s presence at the Euro, saying: “The qualification brought us more courage... We have been waiting for this qualification for so long and we needed this.”

BELGIUM

The Manchester City playmaker is a lingering legacy of Belgium’s golden generation and their only remaining world-class player.

With the Red Devils’ defensive limitations, they will be relying heavily on their 32-year-old captain to pull the strings offensively to get the best out of attackers like Leandro Trossard, Jeremy Doku and Romelu Lukaku.

UKRAINE

The 23-year-old winger’s €70 million (S$102.7) transfer fee has been an albatross around Mudryk’s neck, even if he is far from the only Chelsea signing who has not been an instant success.

However, his former Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino said in March that he saw improved maturity in Mudryk. He scored the goal that sent Ukraine to Euro 2024 and his attacking partnership with Girona’s Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsyhankov holds great promise.

SLOVAKIA

Along with Paris-Saint Germain centre-back Milan Skriniar, Lobotka is the Slovaks’ standout player.

Compared to midfield metronome Xavi Hernandez in his younger days, the former Barcelona coach openly courted the 29-year-old in March, saying: “I like Lobotka; he is good in the build-up and doesn’t lose possession. I’d like to see him at a club like Barca.”

ROMANIA

In a Romania team genuinely shorn of stars, the 22-year-old centre-back is the closest thing they have to a standout player.

He has yet to establish himself as a regular at Tottenham Hotspur since his mid-season move but in his quickness, strength and ball-playing ability, the raw attributes are there. As Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou said: “The characteristics he has are around his defensive principles, which are really strong.”