Belgium look for a new beginning against USA at the World Cup
Quick summary
Jonathan Wilson previews Belgium's World Cup match against the USA, examining the tactical and generational challenges facing the Belgian squad as they seek a fresh start.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceParts of 2018’s Golden Generation still remain, but there are more than enough good players in this Belgian side to give the US headaches
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The whiff of unfulfilment lingers around Belgium. The Golden Generation – and the fact it never quite achieved what it might have done – has dominated coverage of their last three tournaments.This perhaps isn’t quite fair – either on those who were part of that group or those who have followed.
Beating Brazil in the quarter-final to reach the semi-final in Russia 2018 was a fine achievement, but that side featuring Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne then lost 1-0 to France in the semi. The squad was good enough to win a tournament, but that was as close as they came. Courtois, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Axel Witsel and the right-back Thomas Meunier have all endured since 2018. The 2026 Belgium squad is not, as 2022 felt, the Golden Generation redux, just a little bit older and a little bit more tired. A new wave is emerging and, while the likes of Leandro Trossard, Youri Tielemans, Jérémy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere may not have quite the star quality of the previous generation, they’re still decent players – perhaps not World Cup winners, but certainly not to be dismissed. And remember, this is Belgium, a country of just under 12 million; it’s not realistic to think it can consistently produce potential world champions.
This is an extract from Soccer Desk: World Cup edition, a newsletter from the Guardian US that will run regularly during the tournament. Subscribe for free here.
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What happened
The Guardian's Jonathan Wilson provides a tactical preview of Belgium's World Cup fixture against the United States. The piece frames the match as a potential turning point for Belgian football, whose 'golden generation' has failed to deliver a major trophy. The analysis likely covers squad selection, tactical approaches, and the broader context of both teams' tournament prospects. Wilson's writing typically offers deep tactical insight into formations, key players, and strategic matchups.
Chance analysis
A World Cup group-stage preview framed as a reset moment for Belgium after the underwhelming farewell of their golden generation. For prediction systems, the key angles are: (1) Belgium's transition phase and whether they remain favorites despite squad renewal, (2) USA's continued development under their project, and (3) the tactical identity clash between a technically experienced but aging Belgium and a younger, athletic US side. Such previews rarely contain breaking news but offer useful context for assessing relative team strength.
No direct competitive impact; this is a preview that shapes narrative expectations ahead of the Belgium vs USA World Cup match.
Use this preview to calibrate expectations for Belgium's post-golden-generation ceiling and the USA's competitiveness as a rising football nation in a World Cup context.