World Cup: Title favourites Belgium crash out after Croatia draw

AL RAYYAN, Qatar – The sight of Romelu Lukaku, hands on his head, eyes bulging and jaw hanging, will be the enduring image from Belgium’s woeful World Cup campaign in Qatar. The curtain finally came down on their “Golden Generation” of players on Thursday night after a group-stage exit following their failure to beat Croatia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

How fitting it was that Lukaku’s reaction came after he squandered a gilt-edged opportunity. For Belgium have missed a trick by not winning a single trophy despite boasting some of the world’s most talented players over the last decade.

The world No. 2 side, who finished third at the 2018 World Cup, needed to beat Croatia in their final Group F tie but were held to a goal-less draw.

Croatia, who lost to France in the 2018 final, can now begin to dream of another unlikely run as they progressed to the knockout rounds along with Morocco, who beat already-eliminated Canada 2-1 in the group’s other game, played at the Al Thumama Stadium at the same time.

Belgium’s startling capitulation has now led to coach Roberto Martinez leaving his post after six years. In what was his last game in charge, the Spaniard rang in the changes after the shock 2-0 defeat by Morocco last Sunday. He dropped fading star attacker Eden Hazard and striker Michy Batshuayi to the bench.

But a lack of incisiveness in the final third of the pitch plagued them again.

Winger Yannick Carrasco snatched at a shot in the 11th minute when faced with an impossible angle to shoot from, and with teammates better placed to pass to. Two minutes later, forward Dries Mertens blazed a woeful shot over under little pressure, and later could not make a clean connection from close range at the near post.

Belgium were even given a let-off at the other end, after a penalty – Carrasco had fouled Andrej Kramaric – was overturned because of an offside in the lead-up.

Midway through the first half, an update on the stadium’s giant screens flashed indicating Morocco were leading Canada. To the Belgians, it must have felt like the noose was tightening.

It is mind-boggling how a squad blessed with so many technically gifted players can look so plodding and one-dimensional going forward.

A Mexican Wave – or should that be a Qatari one? – that spontaneously rolled around the stadium in the 41st minute highlighted just how bored the fans were.

In desperation, Martinez threw on a half-fit Lukaku, who has struggled with a thigh injury, for the start of the second half in an attempt to score goals. But the 29-year-old, who is his nation’s record goalscorer, turned out to be the biggest culprit on a night of profligacy.

His first chance cracked off the upright after the ball fell kindly to him 12 metres out from goal in the 61st minute. Barely a minute later, Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was caught in no-man’s-land but Lukaku, with the goal gaping, headed over. His night to forget was completed late on when, barely three metres out from goal, the ball came off his chest and bobbled safely into Livakovic’s gloves.

By this time, the body language of the Belgian players suggested they probably thought they could play until the next day and still not score. Self-belief, as it turns out, appears to be a key issue for this band of waning stars.

Over the last month, Hazard has said he was “no longer” the exciting player he was in 2018, while Kevin de Bruyne told English newspaper The Guardian he felt Belgium were “too old” to win the World Cup. Maybe he was on to something. The average age of Belgium’s starting XI against Croatia was 30.6 years.

This is not to say players on the wrong side of 30 cannot contribute, as Croatia’s masterful midfield operator Luka Modric, 37, showed them.

But perhaps with Martinez’s exit, it is now time for Arthur Theate, the 22-year-old who became Belgium’s costliest defender when he signed for French side Rennes for €20 million (S$28.5m), to be the leader in the backline. Youri Tielemans, the 25-year-old Leicester City midfielder, ought to be established as the team’s midfield lynchpin, in place of 33-year-old Axel Witsel.

And the talented Charles de Ketelaere, 21, who signed for AC Milan in the summer and has not exactly set the Italian Serie A alight, could start being featured more alongside de Bruyne, as he looks to succeed him as chief orchestrator of the attack.

Because for all the millions of dollars worth of talent Belgium have produced and the stars that litter Europe’s top clubs, that third-placed finish from four years ago is the best this side have to show for it. What a shameful waste.