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Those guys at FIFA must be some serious fans of what they see from Belgium in men's football. In a claim that divides opinion and will continue to do so, Belgium remains at the summit of FIFA Men's Football rankings. They have held that position for 1082 days now.
The reason why it does not sit well with many football fans is because Belgium's golden generation have yet to win silverware. Since Roberto Martinez began his reign in August 2016, he has overseen 66 games of which Belgium have won 50, lost seven and shared the spoils on nine occasions.
Over the last few years, Belgium have strengthened in every department on the pitch. Some of their players are the major protagonists of their respective clubs in Europe, and command lofty wages for their spectacular talent. Collectively, the squad is a formidable combination of youth and experience, but they somehow seem to fall short towards the business end of major competitions.
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Today we take a look at five of the most valuable Belgian footballers in the world right now. Without further delay, let's delve straight into it:
#5 Eden Hazard - €40 million
It is difficult to say whether he's been jinxed or if all of this was scripted by his fate. But there is no doubt that Eden Hazard has become a depreciating asset since he joined Real Madrid. Part of the Galacticos project, and burdened with the heavy No.7 that Cristiano Ronaldo owned, Hazard joined Real in a move worth €115 million in 2019. The rest is part of the history he would be willing to erase at the first opportunity.
Interestingly, before Hazard earned a call to the senior Belgium team, he was also courted by France to join them. The Belgian, however, stuck with his homeland and till date has made 115 appearances for them. He has 33 goals in his bag and has provided 35 assists.
Hazard captained Belgium in their 2018 World Cup campaign which saw them finish third, a personal best for the country at the World Cup. He was instrumental in Belgium's comeback win against Japan in the round of 16 of the tournament, with the Red Devils trailing 2-0.
He sealed Belgium's third spot finish with a second goal against England that saw him win the third Man of the Match award of the campaign. The winger's injuries have made it difficult for him to stay on the pitch for a complete 90 mins as he can be seen frequently subbed off around the hour mark.
Belgium recently came close to sealing their first major honor in the form of the UEFA Nations League in a thrilling encounter with France. They crumbled in the dying minutes as France ran away 3-2 winners. Hazard was subbed off the pitch at 74 minutes with the scores tied at 2-2. The Belgian's current market value is listed at €40 million, which is a significant dip. However, he still remains the fifth-most valuable Belgian footballer in the world.
#4 Youri Tielemens - €55 million
The youngest lad on this list but undoubtedly a solid pillar in the middle of the park for both his national team and club. Youri Tielemans' stock has been on the rise for the past couple of years as he continues to shoulder the burden of being Leicester City's main man in midfield.
The Belgian is an adventurous box-to-box midfielder with great ability with the ball at his feet that allows him to set the tempo for Leicester's ball progression. A bad day at the office for Tielemens is usually a tough day for Leicester on the field as well. James Maddison has stagnated in his progress and that leaves the Belgian with a lot to do, including providing that inch-perfect final pass.
The Leicester midfielder is currently valued at €55 million and makes his way into this list at fourth-place. Last season he produced the only goal, a stunning long-range effort in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, that saw Leicester win the competition for the first time. He has made 47 appearances for Belgium so far and has scored on four occasions.
The Foxes have had a shaky start to this campaign as they sit 13th in the Premier League table with seven games gone. Tielemans has continued where he left off, starting in all seven of those games, assisting two and scoring one goal.
#3 Thibaut Courtois - €60 million
While his Belgian compatriot has struggled to thrive in the Real Madrid jersey, Thibaut Courtois has been the go-to man between the posts for the club ever since his arrival. The goalkeeper arrived from Chelsea for a price-tag of around €41 million but has seen a hike in his value that is now at €60 million.
He has now extended his contract at the Bernabeu for five more years. Courtois has made 139 appearances for Real in all competitions so far. Interestingly, he also made a 150+ apperances for city rivals Atletico Madrid between 2011-2014 and has won the La Liga titles with both the clubs.
The Belgian was one of the brightest sparks in their World Cup campaign in 2018, winning the Golden Glove award. He is nearing a century of appearances for his national side and has so far played in 93 matches for Belgium.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne - €100 million
Widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, Kevin De Bruyne has been at the center of Manchester City's success. For both his club and country, De Bruyne has been the executioner of most plans at the heart of the philosophy that both Guardiola and Roberto Martinez wish to implement.
The Belgian's ability to pick a pass anywhere on the pitch is immaculate and unparalleled. He is currently listed at €100 million and speaking in an interview Guardiola proclaimed that only Phil Foden is more valuable to the club than De Bruyne.
The City midfielder also captained the side on a few occasions last season, but has been pushed down the pecking order in that regard this campaign. De Bruyne suffered an injury in the Champions League final against Chelsea in Istanbul and he's had some issues in getting over that knock.
The start to his season has been a little slow but he is getting into the groove with every passing game. De Bruyne has played in four matches so far for the Etihad side and scored an important equalizer in a pulsating game between Liverpool and Manchester City. The attacking midfielder has made 86 appearances for his country and netted 22 goals.
#1 Romelu Lukaku - €100 million
'Big Rom' is tied with De Bruyne as the most valuable Belgian player in the market at €100 million right now and for all the right seasons. Romelu Lukaku has been leading Belgium's line, providing a much-needed attacking threat. Lukaku has excelled in terms of the clubs he's been with since his boyhood club Anderlecht.
The former Inter Milan striker played a pivotal role in the dethroning of Serie A champions Juventus in Antonio Conte's regime. In the two seasons he spent with the Nerazzurri, Lukaku scored 23 and 24 league goals respectively. He is now the face of Chelsea's frontline and joined the Champions of Europe for a sum of £97.5 million this summer.
Lukaku has started six games for Chelsea this season in the Premier League and has been very potent in attack. He scored three goals and allowed the likes of Timo Werner to get on the scoresheet as well. Lukaku was amongst the scorers for Belgium in the UEFA Nations League semi-final against Italy. He scored the winner that was ruled offside after a VAR check before France eventually secured a late win.
The centre-forward will be among the biggest star attractions in the Premier League this season. He will be in contention for the golden boot against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohammed Salah and Jamie Vardy to name a few. 'Big Rom' has ammassed 101 appearances for his country so far and is their highest scorer with 68 goals.
