Analyzing Belgium: Just How Good Are Vincent Kompany and Co.?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: October 12, 2013

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Football fans seem to be falling over themselves over the potential and performances of Belgium at the moment. Every debate about international football seems to mention the Belgians, with some people even suspecting they may surprise a few people at the World Cup in Brazil next year. Friday's 2-1 victory over Croatia secured them top spot in qualifying and a place at the World Cup for the first time since 2002, which makes it an apt time to try to discover if Belgium really are a threat to the giants of international football.

First, the rankings. Although often slammed as controversial, they certainly do suggest that the Belgians will be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Brazil next year. They currently sit sixth, above the likes of England, Portugal and even the Netherlands. Perhaps the best illustration of the rise and rise of Belgium sits within the rankings: Six years ago they were as low as 71st.

The fact that they have breezed through Group A of World Cup Qualifying is another reminder that Belgium could potentially turn a few heads at the World Cup. Group A isn't a group filled with teams that are routinely beaten on a regular basis; the lowest-ranked team in the group are Macedonia, who are 75th.

Put that in comparison with England's group—from which the Three Lions are yet to qualify—which contains Poland (65th), Moldova (123rd) and San Marino (207th). Yet Belgium have won eight of their nine games in Group A, the only dropped points coming in a 1-1 draw against Croatia.

When a team has such an upturn in form like the Diables Rouges have had, there generally has to be a focal point from which the upturn starts. Many people believe that for Belgium, it was the 2008 Summer Olympics. Even though they finished out of the medal places, midfielder Marouane Fellaini told Esquire that it was the beginning of the Belgian revolution:

One thing is we have played together for a long t...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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