Red Devils seeking a reboot at Euro 2024

Belgium’s so-called ‘golden generation’ – which didn’t actually win any silverware – is over and today the Red Devils are viewed as long shots to lift the European Championship trophy in Germany this summer.

On the day the squad is announced, the bookies have them as 22-1 outsiders to win the month-long tournament, far behind favourites England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy – the countries where most of Belgium’s top players ply their trade at club level.

Coach Domenico Tedesco won’t mind the long-shot odds at all. Low expectations mean less pressure at Euro 2024, where Belgium’s group stage opponents are Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

But, make no mistake, his team is in it to win it.

While the likes of Eden Hazard are gone, they still boast star quality with Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jérémy Doku, Youri Tielemans and Charles De Ketelaere all capable of striking fear into the toughest of opponents.

“I have a really good feeling with this squad,” says Tedesco as he unveils his 25-man selection at the Belgian training centre in Tubize. “Everyone is a potential starting player. The mix is good, the feeling is positive.”

It is an exciting line-up, based on the classic combo of experience and youth, albeit with one glaring omission: superstar keeper Thibaut Courtois. The Real Madrid number one, described by teammate Luka Modrić as “the best goalkeeper in the world,” fell out big-time with Tedesco after being snubbed for the captaincy last summer following Hazard’s retirement. The coach later claimed to have “tried absolutely everything” to build bridges with Courtois, who reacted on social media with three Pinocchio emojis – effectively branding the boss a liar.

Not the best way to smooth things over.

While a fit Courtois is a huge loss, Tedesco stressed that can still count on three “brilliant” goalkeepers in Koen Casteels, expected to be his first choice in Germany, Thomas Kaminski and Matz Sels.

Axel back

The absence of Courtois was expected, as was, to a lesser degree, the return of Axel Witsel, who called time on his international career after Belgium’s disappointing exit at the group stage in the 2022 World Cup, only to later U-turn, declaring he was still open to adding to his 130 caps.

Unsure if Witsel was genuine about a comeback, Tedesco travelled to Spain to meet the Atlético Madrid star and personally persuade him to return to the fold.

Axel Witsel

“I wanted to look into his eyes. He immediately said yes,” he says. Witsel’s experience and versatility was a key factor. “He’s able to play number six or as a central defender,” explained the charismatic Italian-German who took over as coach from Roberto Martinez, now managing Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, in February 2023.

The main surprises in the squad are the inclusion of Witsel’s 19-year-old Atlético team-mate, Arthur Vermeeren, despite making only a handful of appearances since his €18 million move from Antwerp in January, and Maxim De Cuyper, the 23-year-old Club Brugge defender, more of whom later.

De Bruyne floppy

As well as Atlético, two other clubs each have two players in the national squad: Anderlecht, with defenders Jan Vertonghen and Zeno Debast, plus Manchester City, who provide Belgium’s captain Kevin De Bruyne and winger Jérémy Doku.

De Bruyne missed the first half of the season due to injury, but the 32-year-old has been in decent form for the Sky Blues since January, adding a sixth Premier League winners’ medal to his impressive collection. However, he was distinctly under-par and substituted by Pep Guardiola in City’s surprise defeat by rivals Manchester United in the end-of-season FA Cup Final, his display as floppy as his new haircut.

Tedesco will need him at his best in Germany. “I’m very happy Kevin’s back,” he says. “He’s not a guy who speaks a lot but you can lead in different ways, by performing.”

Striker Romelu Lukaku also needs his good friend De Bruyne on song. While the 31-year-old big man hasn't had a great season by his standards at Roma, he is Belgium’s record goal scorer and, with the right service, you wouldn’t bet against him notching several more to his tally, especially at the group stage.

Coach Domenico Tedesco

Lois Openda, 24, will probably start up front with Lukaku while Doku’s impressive debut season at Man City, following his €65 million move from Rennes, should guarantee the 22-year-old a starting place. Leandro Trossard rarely disappoints and will be full of confidence after a strong season at Arsenal and finding the net twice in Belgium’s pre-tournament friendlies.

One of Tedesco’s toughest decisions was leaving out Michy Batshuayi, especially given how well the striker performed this season at Fenerbahçe. The coach phoned him with the bad news. “He’s a brilliant guy. He was very disappointed, very upset,” said Tedesco.

Attacking midfielder Hans Vanaken, who finished the season strongly to win the Belgian title with Club Brugge, can also count himself unlucky to miss the cut.

Stellar seasons

A few days after the squad announcement, I’m back at the national team’s Proximus Basecamp training ground and have a chance to speak to Axel Witsel and Maxim De Cuyper in person.

A year ago neither would have expected to be involved in the Euros – Witsel had retired and De Cuyper, though a promising prospect, was out on loan at Westerlo, not deemed ready for Club Brugge’s first team.

Both, however, have enjoyed stellar seasons, with evergreen Witsel making an incredible 50 appearances for Atlético and De Cuyper winning the Belgian title with the Blauw-Zwart of Brugge.

Having just come off the pitch after the new squad’s first training session, Liège-born Witsel is first up.

The first thing you notice about him is his trademark hair, a soft afro, albeit slightly less abundant these days (his father Thierry, a Walloon socialist politician and former pro footballer himself, is of Martiniquais descent).

The Atlético star is tall – 1.86 metres – and looks younger than his 35 years. Perhaps it’s the Spanish diet or climate. But the much-travelled Witsel (former clubs include Standard Liège, Benfica, Zenit St Petersburg, Tianjin Quanjian, where he reputedly earned €18 million in a single season, and Borussia Dortmund) looks happy to be back home.

I ask if Belgium can really win the Euros, given that it is a team in transition and perhaps a little over-reliant on “experienced” – a polite way of saying long-in-the-tooth – players.

‘We are outsiders’

Witsel looks down briefly, unable to contain a brief, boyish grin, before composing himself. “In the past, we were a team among the favourites. I don’t think that’s the case today. We are outsiders. But the mix of young players and more experienced players means we have a high-quality group,” he replies.

“Talking about winning is a bit premature. My philosophy is to play game-by-game. I think this is how we should progress during this tournament, but it’s clear that we’ll go as far as possible.”

So not entirely lacking in optimism.

While previously a midfielder in the national team, Witsel has played as a central defender under Atlético coach Diego Simeone. “I had to adapt last year but this season I’ve felt a lot more comfortable in this position,” he says.

Romelu Lukaku scores again

Only one player has made more appearances than Witsel for the Red Devils – 37-year-old Vertonghen, with 154 caps at the time of writing, but the Anderlecht stalwart is recovering from a groin injury picked up late in the season.

Tedesco tends to pair experience and youth at the back so either Vertonghen or Witsel could pair with Zeno Debast (20) or Arthur Theate (24).

Could Vertonghen and Witsel (combined age 72) play as centre backs together? “Jan and I will get along well there. We may not be the fastest, but we will solve things differently,” says Witsel.

Another question concerns Witsel’s wife, Rafaella Szabo, a glamorous Instagram influencer and photographer with whom he shares three children, daughters Mai Li and Evi, and son Aydji. How does she feel about his comeback on the international stage?

“I made the decision myself. My wife is super happy for me,” he replies. “We may have wanted to take more holidays…but that’s no big deal. I still enjoy playing. This will be my sixth major tournament and these are the moments which you do it for.”

Positive vibes

It’s Maxim De Cuyper’s turn in the spotlight. If Witsel looks young for his age, De Cuyper could still be at secondary school. Maybe everyone looks younger these days.

Maxim De Cuyper

Wearing a somewhat earnest expression, De Cuyper admits that he didn’t expect to be named in the squad; he didn’t even have the national coach’s phone number. “He sent me a text message with his name. It’s all happened very quickly,” he says.

The young defender has also just come off the training pitch. He’s buzzing, but not over-awed, describing Kevin De Bruyne or Romelu Lukaku as “just really normal guys”.

Romelo Lukaku in the new, Tintin-inspired away kit

“They have enormous quality on the ball…hopefully that will also lift my level,” he adds.

De Cuyper knows he will probably start on the bench at the Euros. “The step between the hopefuls and the first team is a significant one, even if there is a lot of quality among the hopefuls,” he acknowledges.

But Club Brugge fans know that, if he gets the chance, the defender will be ready.

Asked if Tedesco had given him any special advice, De Cuyper replies: “He said ‘Come with a smile and positive vibes’. That suits me because that's how I always am.”

Warm-up

De Cuyper certainly made a positive impression in Belgium’s pre-tournament warm-up victories over Montenegro (2-0) and Luxembourg (3-0) at the King Baudouin Stadium.

After missing 11 international games due to injury, Kevin De Bruyne celebrated his 100th appearance with the opening goal – his 26th for the Red Devils – against Montengro, with Leonardo Trossard grabbing a stoppage-time penalty. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku made his presence felt against neighbours Luxembourg, beating Union Saint-Gilloise keeper Anthony Moris twice to take his international tally to 85 goals, with Trossard on the scoresheet again with a fine finish late on. But the early departure of Thomas Meunier, with a muscle injury, was a blow.

While not too much should be read into routine wins against lowly opposition, De Bruyne looks hungry again and predicts: “Not many teams will be eager to face us.”