“Januzaj you beauty#GGMU”, “We dont need Bale, Junuzaj will rock in United#GGMU”.Yesterday my facebook wall was filled with these kind of updates by Manchester United fans. Ask any fantasy league player and he will tell how not taking Beteke or Lukaku is hampering his chances in both head to head and normal leagues this season. So what is common between two incidents. The answer is all these players belong to Belgium, a football loving country but definitely not a former superpower.
Not going back before 1997( that was the time i first saw football on TV), i can deduce that most of the countries get a certain timeline for golden generation. so if France had Zidane, Henry, Anelka, Viera post 97 period, they emerged as the football superpower. The same goes with Spain who are winning it all on the back of current golden generation. So what is special in current Belgium squad that can make this generation of theirs as golden generation in few years time?
Lets see outside england. Centre-half Daniel van Buyten had already played a major role in last season Bayern Munich absolute domination. Toby Alderweireld ,Dries Martens, Axel Witsel were all on the top transfer target list for big clubs.Courtois is already saving most of the strikes in Spain.
Inside England, the Belgians are shining everywhere. Mignolet is showing prime form, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard( Yesterday scorer) are already feared, Mirallas, Fellaini and Dembele adding up to the reputation. With Komapany and Vertonghen along with Vermaelen playing strongly for their teams, the Belgians for the first time are overshadowing their football powerhouse neighbour Netherland players. Add two of the prominent and feared strikers this season in the form of Lukaku and Benteke, this team after some experience can easily become a world beater. The talent is already in abundance there but the right kind of mental attitude is also necessary to win at big stages.
So what happened with Belgium suddenly. Well to be fair, sometimes luck( odds) do play a part when everyone with talent comes together at the same time..In cricket Windies & Aussies witness the same in their dominant era, Murray could have won more Grand slams if three of the best players in the form of FedeX, Nadal and Djoko were not playing in the same era. I dont see any big clubs in Belgium producing these players as most of them have moved to neighbouring countries clubs from early age.
Marc Wilmots’ side currently lead their qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, having won three and drawn one of their four games. In a group that includes Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Wales and Scotland. Though 2014 world cup is too near to spell any big magic, but we can bet on some Belgium magic in 2016 Euro.