Belgium ... Silently Emerging






It is a common trend to have different cycle in life and this cut across every spectrum of life. The Belgium national team a.k.a red devils went through this cycle,having  being out of the football world's view, This was due to non participation of any major competition (European Cup of nation's and World Cup respectively) in the last 10 years. The last time they showed up was the 2002 World Cup jointly hosted by South Korea/Japan . Belgium have had their very good moment, you would not necessarily rate them as a top class team but they are there within the mix..
I personally have some sort of sentiment for Belgium as this was the Mecca of any aspiring Nigerian football in the 80's till the mid 90's .Nigeria's Super Eagles present Manager Stephen Keshi was the first Nigeria to play in Belgium, He featured for Anderleht for many year, a lot followed suit afterwards. Augustine Eguavoen, Late Uche Okafor, Samson Siasia, Peter Rufai, Late Osaro Obobaifo, Suday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba Godwin  Okpara e.t.c all played in Belgium during Nigeria Golden Era.



Now back to Belgium, There are quite a number remarkable memories i have about Belgium but the one that remains vivid was their surprise qualification to the Semi finals in the 1986 Mexico World Cup. The lost out to Argentina and France in the Semi Finals and Third place game respectively. It was a kind of surprise but I never stopped following "The Red"  since . The team reached the knock-out stage of the World Cup, 5 out of 6 times between 1982 -2002.One of their most famous victories was a 1-0 over The Defending Champion Argentina, in the  opening game of the 1982 World Cup at the Camp Nou .
This  team was endowed with immense talent ; Enzo Scifo, Marc Wilmot(Present Belgian Manager),Erwin Vandenbergh, EricGeret,Philippe Albert,Van d'Elst,Lorenzo Staelen,Mpenza Brother(Emile and Mbo) and not leaving out one of the best goalkeeper to grace the football world Michel Preud'homme.
Michel Preud' homme - Best Goalkeeper 1994 World Cup
Legendary Enzo Scifo in his playing days
                                             Wilderness Years
After the 2002 World Cup, they went into oblivion and and were not in the radar for quite sometime. In 2005  they failed to qualify for the World Cup  hosted by  Germany in 2006,the first time since the 1978 World Cup. The teams performance declined and plummeted to an all time low having being ranked 71st in the FIFA world rating  in 2007. A total 7 manager were employed between 2002 till date.

                                         Resurging Again


 The team has started to generate some  attention to the football world again, gradually  forcing it itself into the European football landscape. In the last 4- 5 years, the have being producing some exceptional world class talent and have put in some superlative performances. Though they did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012,but have shown glimpses of what to expect in the future . A  recent case in point was the friendly against The Netherlands,a  game they won by an emphatic  4-2. Currently as at the time of writing,they are topping their group in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, a group which comprises of Croatia, Sebia, Scotland,Mecedonia and Wales. 

 Vincent Kompany, Kevin Mirallas, Christian Benteke, Moussa Dembele, Eden Hazzard, Thomas Vermaleen, Romalu Lukaku,Simon Mignolet,Jan Vertoghen, and Marouane Feliani all ply their trade in the English premiership and this exclude other plethora of stars  that plays in other part of Europe. Well one would right to conclude that Belgium has one of the best talent in Europe and the world is waiting to see another explosion of new era.

                                

                               The New Generation of Stars


Christian Benteke - Astons Villa


Daniel Van Buyten - Bayern Munich


Moussa Dembele - Tottenham


Eden Hazard - Chelsea 



Maroune Felliani - Everton


Kevin De Bruyne - Chelsea (on loan to Wedern Bremen)



Kevin Mirallas - Everton


Simon Mignolet - Sunderland FC

Thomas Vermaleen - Arsenal

Jan Vertonghen - Tottenham

Vincent Kompany - Manchester City

Nicolas Lambaert - Zenit St Pittsburgh


Romalu Lukaku - Chelsea (on loan to WBA)


 Please your comment would be appreciated

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Comments

  1. obafemi15 November 2012 at 08:17

    Belgium is fast coming up! You ignore a team that has the likes of Eden Hazard, Maroaune Fellaini, Moussa Dembele, Vincent Kompany etc at your own peril!

    ReplyDelete

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