Belgium's golden generation had Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois, and won nothing. That remains one of the stranger facts in modern football. Some of that generation are still around, though. De Bruyne is 34 and this is his farewell, Jérémy Doku is flying on the wing for Manchester City, and the 2026 World Cup may be the last chance for this group to win something.
Doku, De Bruyne and Lukaku are the key players.
Can Belgium finally deliver?
The talent argument is easy to make. De Bruyne has been the best playmaker of his generation, with passing and vision from another planet. Doku is one of the most explosive wingers in the Premier League, all pace and dribbling. Lukaku is Belgium's all-time top scorer and a proven performer at international level. Behind them the depth is still good, with players at strong clubs in the Premier League, Serie A and the Bundesliga.
Then there is motive. Knowing it is the golden generation's final chance could give the squad an edge of hunger it has sometimes lacked.
History argues the other way. Belgium have had the talent to win everything and have repeatedly come up short when it mattered most, which makes them the most frustrating team in world football. The pressure on De Bruyne and Lukaku will be huge, and past tournaments suggest they will crack. But what if, this time, they don't?
Tomorrow: number 8.
