Was ist mit Belgiens goldener Generation passiert?

Belgien hat viele Spieler der goldenen Generation, wie Eden Hazard und Vincent Kompany, nicht mehr im Kader, und setzt stattdessen auf jüngere Talente.

Wer hat die Veränderungen im belgischen Team bestätigt?

Thibaut Courtois hat die Veränderungen im Team bestätigt und betont, dass eine neue Generation von Spielern bereit ist, Geschichte für Belgien zu schreiben.

Warum ist jetzt der richtige Zeitpunkt für Belgien?

Nach einem schwachen Start in das Turnier hat Belgien mit beeindruckenden Siegen gegen Senegal und die USA gezeigt, dass sie das Potenzial für den Titelgewinn haben.

Welche Änderungen gab es im belgischen Kader?

Spieler wie Eden Hazard, Mousa Dembélé und Marouane Fellaini sind nicht mehr Teil des Kaders, während Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku und Kevin de Bruyne weiterhin eine zentrale Rolle spielen.

Was steht Belgien als Nächstes bevor?

Belgien steht am Freitag, dem 20.00 BST, einem entscheidenden Spiel gegen Spanien gegenüber, das über den Einzug ins Halbfinale entscheidet.

What happened in this story?

WM 2026: Wie sich Belgiens goldene Generation gewandelt hat – Spanien summarizes the main development covered in this report.

Who confirmed this news?

See the source attribution in the article for where this report was first published or corroborated.

Belgium in the 2026 World Cup: Change of the golden generation

World Cup 2026: How Belgium's golden generation has changed - Spain

According to News.

Background

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is a key part of the Belgian national team and has made crucial saves in this World Cup. His experience and leadership are of great importance to the team, especially in a tournament where expectations are high and competition is fierce.

Why this is important

The Belgian national team has fought back from a difficult start to the 2026 World Cup, showing that it still has great potential despite the absence of many former stars such as Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany. Thibaut Courtois, as a key player in goal, plays a crucial role in leading the team to the quarter-finals, rekindling their hopes of winning the title.

Key findings

World Cup 2026: How Belgium's golden generation has changed - Spain.
Belgium has fought its way back in the 2026 World Cup tournament and is in the quarter-finals after wins against Senegal and the USA.
Thibaut Courtois remains central to Belgium's plans.

When the World Cup began 30 days ago, hardly anyone believed that Belgium - without many of the star players who had appeared in previous tournaments - could be among the possible winners. The doubts were even greater, especially after a 2-0 deficit against Senegal in the last 32 minutes. But now the Red Devils are in the quarter-finals and have defeated the Senegalese with one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history, followed by an impressive 4-1 win against the USA on their home soil. Players like Eden Hazard, Mousa Dembélé, Marouane Fellaini and Vincent Kompany are no longer part of the squad. Instead, the team is relying on well-known names such as Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Axel Witsel, who are turning an initially weak start into the potential to win the title. The decisive game against Spain is on Friday (20:00 BST), which will decide whether they advance to the semi-finals. Have Belgium's golden generation been written off too early, or will coach Rudi Garcia manage to harness their potential in a new way? Belgium reached the quarter-finals in Brazil in 2014 and even made it to the semi-finals in Russia in 2018, when the team was at its peak. In 2022, however, the team failed in the group stage behind Morocco and Croatia. "I think this is a new era for us," said Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois before the win against the USA. "It's true that there are some players from the golden era, but the World Cup in Qatar wasn't good for us. Now we have a new generation with younger players who want to achieve big things and make history for Belgium." Courtois is right – the younger players bear a lot of the responsibility. Of the four survivors from 2014 and 2018, the 34-year-old Courtois played every minute of the tournament, while De Bruyne, Lukaku and Witsel played significantly less. Witsel, 37 years old, only came on for one minute in the win against the USA. Lukaku, 33, scored an impressive three goals but played less than half the time, often as a substitute to outwit the opposition's defence. De Bruyne, now 35 years old, was injured in the game against Senegal. Before his substitution, Belgium had only won one game in three, but since then they have recorded two wins and scored seven goals in around 130 minutes.

Full-back Thomas Meunier, who was there in 2018, has also logged fewer minutes while the role of the older players has changed. They are now more responsible for making the difference in crucial moments rather than determining the team's overall performance. So far, Garcia and Belgium appear to be handling the transition better than many other teams as their stars begin to fade. Garcia himself refuses to emphasize age and appreciates the quality of his players. "I really can't stand it when my four leaders are called 'veterans'," he said at the start of the tournament. "It's ugly. If you as a country are lucky enough to have players of this caliber, then encourage them. That's what Belgium's 'old boys' can do." They are supported by strong performances from players who did not take part in previous tournaments but still have a lot of experience. Arsenal player Leandro Trossard has proven particularly impressive, creating more chances than any other player in the tournament. 25-year-old Atalanta attacker Charles de Ketelaere didn't score many goals, but he created space for the wingers. The Belgian team is motivated by the controversy surrounding Fifa's controversial decision to suspend USA striker Folarin Balogun. The players mocked President Trump by imitating his campaign dance, and Garcia praised his team's unity afterward. It will now be crucial for Belgium to survive against Spain - Lukaku and his teammates will have to give particularly inspiring motivational speeches in order to reach the next round. This is not simply the last chance for the golden generation, but rather a new era of seasoned professionals leading the generations to come.

What happens next

The decisive quarter-final game against Spain is on Friday, which will decide whether the team will advance to the semi-finals. Coach Rudi Garcia will look to capitalize on the strengths of his experienced players such as Courtois, Lukaku and De Bruyne to reach the next round and potentially crown Belgium's golden generation. The performance against the USA showed that the team is capable of holding its own even against strong opponents.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Belgium's golden generation?

Belgium no longer has many players from the golden generation, such as Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany, in the squad and is instead relying on younger talents.

Who confirmed the changes in the Belgian team?

Thibaut Courtois has confirmed the changes in the team and stressed that a new generation of players is ready to make history for Belgium.

Why is now the right time for Belgium?

After a weak start to the tournament, Belgium showed impressive wins against Senegal and the USA that they have the potential to win the title.

What changes were there in the Belgian squad?

Players such as Eden Hazard, Mousa Dembélé and Marouane Fellaini are no longer part of the squad, while Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne continue to play central roles.