Football: There's something in the water in Belgium

There are many countries in Europe that have traditionally produced quality footballers over the course of the game’s fine history. Belgium is not one of them. While many of the nation’s previous stars are household names in their home state, very few football fans across the continent are familiar with Franky Van der Elst, Timmy Simons and Wesley Sonck. On the international football scene, Belgium just haven’t been on the map.

Well, all that has now changed. Most people wouldn’t expect Belgium to be the source of a new generation of European stars, but whether they would believe it or not, it is happening. Belgium now has some of the most recognisable names, and some of the most promising talent, that any footballing nation has to offer anywhere in the world. It is a turn of events that can only be attributable to good luck, much in the same way it was simply good fortune that led Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta and Xavi to all develop at the same time at Barcelona. Nonetheless, it is good luck that all Belgian fans will be incredibly happy for.

The Rode Duivels (Red Devils) have been relatively uncompetitive in the last decade or so. After being involved in every World Cup from 1982 to 2002, they failed to qualify for either 2006 in Germany or 2010 in South Africa. They also failed to qualify for the European Championships in 2004, 2008 or in 2012, marking these last ten years as the least successful in the country’s long footballing history.

Belgium at the 2002 World Cup: This was the last time Belgium would play in a major tournament for the next decade. Marc Wilmots, the team captain (back row, far right), is now the Belgian national coach.

However, thanks to a very talented and very young squad, the Belgian faithful may be on the cusp of witnessing a swift and dramatic turnaround from the disappointment of the last decade. They now have a squad full to the brim of players who are already stars for their domestic clubs, and who are still years away from hitting their peaks. Let’s meet this next generation of superstars:

Goalkeepers

Name: Thibaut CourtoisAge: 20Club: Atletico Madrid (on loan from Chelsea)Caps: 9

As the probable successor to Petr Cech at Chelsea, Courtois’ abilities are obvious. The young keeper spent the entire 2011-2012 season on loan at Atletico Madrid, beating out Sergio Asenjo, a stellar keeper in his own right, for the starting job. He returned to the Spanish side for the 2012-2013 season, and set a new Atletico Madrid record of 820 minutes without conceding a goal at the Estadio Vicente Calderon in March 2013. It has been unofficially reported that Chelsea have set an asking price of £20M, a price tag that would be more than that paid for David De Gea, Manuel Nauer or Hugo Lloris, and would put Courtois as the second most expensive goalkeeper in history behind Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon. Expect Courtois to take over from Mignolet in the next couple of years.

With the exception of Spain (who boast Iker Casillas, Pepe Reina, David De Gea, Victor Valdes and Sergio Asenjo), every nation in the world should be jealous of Belgium’s goalkeeping depth and quality. Courtois should become one of the premier goalkeepers in the world, and Sunderland’s Simon Mignolet will become one of international football’s finest back-up shot stoppers. Not to mention neither will even hit their prime for another 5 (Mignolet) or 10 (Courtois) years.

Defenders

Name: Vincent Kompany (Captain)Age: 26Club: Manchester CityCaps: 52

To even the most casual football fan, Vincent Kompany needs no introduction. He is captain for both his country and English Champions Manchester City, and is without a doubt one of the top defenders in the world today, if not the best outright. He is exceptional both with the ball and without, and he brings added value with his leadership to such a young national team. At 26 years old, Kompany is actually one of the eldest players in the regular starting XI.

Name: Jan VertonghenAge: 25Club: Tottenham HotspurCaps: 45

Vertonghen may not have been the most well-known of footballers during his time at Ajax, despite being the club captain and winning the Dutch Footballer of the Year award in 2012. Since his move to EPL outfit Tottenham Hotspur, however, the Belgian has exploded onto the worldwide football scene. Vertonghen is one of the most technically gifted players, never mind defenders, in the EPL and has an ability to score goals both with his feet and his head. At Spurs, Vertonghen has continued his goal scoring form, most notably netting a brace in a 3-2 loss against Liverpool. Vertonghen is comfortable both at centre back and at left back (he is left footed), and while noted for his ability going forward, he is also a dominant defensive player. With a move out of the Eridivisie and into the English Premier League, expect Vertonghen to flourish against better opposition in the same way Liverpool’s Luis Suarez has done.

Name: Thomas VermaelenAge: 27Club: ArsenalCaps: 41

Vermaelen is very similar to Vertonghen, in that he is a left footed defender and a former Ajax standout with an ability to score goals as well as remain dominant defensively. After his move to Arsenal in 2009, Vermaelen was named in the PFA Team of the Year and has continued a tradition of excellent defensive play ever since. In 2011, he was named vice-captain after Cesc Fabregas left for Barcelona, and he was named captain in 2012 when Robin Van Persie left the Gunners to join rival Manchester United. At 27, Vermaelen is the old man of the next generation (Daniel Van Buyten is the actual old man of the national side at 35 years old), but he should still have plenty left in the tank, and at 32 years old, he will probably a factor for Belgium in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and may even make the 2020 European Championships at 34.

Central Midfielders

Name: Mousa DembéléAge: 25Club: Tottenham HotspurCaps: 45

Dembélé surprised many in the Premier League by performing exceptionally as an attacking central midfielder for Fulham after a £5M move from AZ Alkmaar in 2010. His play warranted a £15M move this past summer to Tottenham Hotspur, where he has continued to catch attention. Dembélé plays best as a creative attacking midfielder, a position he has had to fight for at Spurs with Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurðsson. The three have largely shared playing time this season, and if Dembélé is going to improve further, he probably needs more playing time. At the back end of 2012, the Guardian newspaper in England named him 91st on their list of the top 100 footballers in the world.

Name: Marouane FellainiAge: 25Club: EvertonCaps: 40

Fellaini was another unknown in world football when he moved from Standard Liege to Everton in 2008. Upon his arrival on Merseyside, the young Belgian drew plenty of attention not just for his awe-inspiring afro style haircut, but also for his exceptional level of play. In that first season at Goodison Park, the midfielder earned Everton’s Young Player of the Year award. Now, 5 years on, Fellaini is considered among the brightest central midfielders in the Premier League, and has garnered plenty of interest from world class clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United. Fellaini is in outstanding form this season, netting 11 goals in 24 games for the Toffees and adding 4 assists. He looks to be having a break out year that will soon see him recognised as one of the top players at his position in the world.

Name: Axel WitselAge: 24Club: Zenit St PetersburgCaps: 36

Another Belgian midfielder, another world class afro! It is perhaps fitting that Witsel sports the same hairstyle as national teammate Marouane Fellaini, albeit a smaller version. The Zenit midfielder plays similarly to Fellaini as a tall central midfielder with the ability to move forward, but Witsel plays with a little more pace than the Everton standout. While I could spend two paragraphs telling you all about how good Witsel is, the £32.5M transfer fee that Zenit paid to Benfica to acquire the young Belgian’s services in 2012 probably tells you all you need to know.

Wingers

Name: Eden HazardAge: 22Club: ChelseaCaps: 36

As well as being one of the youngest players in Belgium’s national side, Eden Hazard may well be the best. The diminutive winger lit it up in the French Ligue 1 with Lille, winning the league title in the 2010-2011 season and earning Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year twice in a row (2008-2009, 2009-2010), Ligue 1 Player of the Year twice in a row (2010-2011, 2011-2012) and was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year three times in a row (2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012) before his €32M move to Chelsea in the summer of 2012. In his first season at Chelsea, Hazard has 8 goals and 8 assists in 28 games to date and looks every bit the world class player he was expected to be.

Name: Kevin MirallasAge: 25Club: EvertonCaps: 34

It is a good time to be writing about Kevin Mirallas, after he scored a fantastic individual goal against Stoke at the weekend. The 25 year old winger, who is equally comfortable on either wing or in a central forward role, has been in only decent form for Everton this year, after being prolific in front of goal for Olympiacos in the previous two years. Mirallas has been struck by injury for a lot of the 2012-2013 campaign, limiting both his playing time and his ability on the pitch. However, he has shown glimpses of the quality that spurred David Moyes to sign him for £6M in 2012. With more time to get healthy and to get used to the quick and brutal brand of football played in the EPL, Mirallas may well turn into a star.

Name: Kevin De BruyneAge: 21Club: Werder Bremen (on loan from Chelsea)Caps: 11

With only 11 caps to his name, Kevin De Bruyne is still trying to find his feet in international football. However, his £7M move to Chelsea in January 2012 suggests that the young winger has the potential to be a great player in the years to come. While he has yet to play a competitive match for the Blues, De Bruyne has shown good form on loan at German side Werder Bremen, scoring 6 goals in 24 games for the club and establishing himself as an important contributor in Bremen’s fight to avoid relegation. He is the team’s second most used player and third top goalscorer.

The star of this group is obviously Hazard, but there is encouraging depth for the Belgians at this position. Mirallas and De Bruyne may well amount to more than they are currently showing, and if they do, Belgium will find themselves with a world class group of wingers to choose from. Even if they don’t improve, they are good enough right now to be solid contributors, and Eden Hazard’s presence alone makes this group better than most other nations.

Strikers

Name: Romelu LukakuAge: 19Club: West Bromwich Albion (on loan from Chelsea)Caps: 19

Meet the next Didier Drogba. Romelu Lukaku has been a force in the Premier League this season, scoring 13 goals for West Brom despite a) being a teenager and b) West Brom providing very limited support for their big target man. Bear in mind that when Wayne Rooney was 19, he scored 16 goals for Manchester United. Lukaku may reach that figure or even better it this year, despite not having the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs creating chances for him. To further put things in perspective, when Cristiano Ronaldo was 19, he scored 5 in 33 for United. At 6 foot 3, Lukaku is a force to be reckoned with, and his combination of size, power, speed and technical ability will make him a dominant player both at Chelsea and in his national side for the next 15 years.

Name: Christian BentekeAge: 22Club: Aston VillaCaps: 13

If Lukaku wasn’t the next Didier Drogba, Christian Benteke might be. At 6 foot 3, he looks the part, and although he is built a little slimmer than both Drogba and Lukaku, Benteke plays with a similar style. For Aston Villa this season, the Belgian striker has netted 14 times (once more than Lukaku and good for 6th best total in the EPL so far) including a brace at Anfield to seal a surprise victory and a goal this weekend in the reverse fixture at Villa Park. He’s also scored one more goal than Lukaku for Belgium, in fewer appearances to boot. If this year’s goal scoring record is anything to go by, Belgium manager Marc Wilmots is going to have some good selection headaches in the future with two such gifted target men at his disposal.

Turning Talent into Wins

Overall, the current Belgian squad has 4 of the Guardian’s top 100 players in world football (Vincent Kompany – 23rd, Eden Hazard – 58th, Marouane Fellaini – 60th, Mousa Dembélé – 91st ). This is more than Portugal and the same number as England. Of course, it is never enough to simply throw a group of stars together and expect they will be successful as a team. Manchester City learned this the hard way in the early years after their billionaire take-over. However, this young group of superstars are starting to prove themselves as a team on the national stage as well as star individuals in their respective domestic leagues.

After falling to their lowest ever FIFA World Ranking in 2007 (71st in the world, a spot currently held by Wales), Belgium now own the 19th spot, one behind Brazil and one in front of 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana. Even more encouraging is their current performance in the FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying group stage. They are currently sitting pretty atop group A, with 16 points. Only football giants Germany and the Netherlands have more. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that they have so far conceded only 1 goal in the entire competition, which came in a draw with Croatia. This is the best defensive record in all the qualifying groups for teams who have played 6 games (Switzerland also have conceded 1 goal but have played only 5 games, and Russia have not conceded at all but have played only 4).

It is an exciting time to be a Belgian football fan right now. It may be a little far-fetched to say that they could challenge for future World Cups and European Championships, but stranger things have happened. This is by far a better side than the European Championship winning side Greece had in 2004.

Right now, Belgium are playing at a level that rivals the top nations in Europe and they are only going to improve with time. Despite being young, the above players have an average of 30 caps each; they are already extremely experienced internationally, and not one of them has hit their peak yet. With the age these players are all at, and the opportunities they will have to play together without any changes to the starting lineup for a significant period of time, Belgium have a serious chance of becoming a power in international football.

Rest of the world, consider yourselves on notice; Belgium are coming to play.