Belgium, the golden generation that bows out without a prize
Belgium promised again and fell short again. The Red Devils thrashed the United States (4-1) and reached the quarter-finals, but Spain shut the door (2-1). The last big tournament of an unrepeatable generation ended, once more, without a trophy.
For more than a decade, Belgium have been a byword for talent without reward. Their golden generation —with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku as flag-bearers— faced one of their last chances to turn potential into titles in 2026, and again came up halfway.
The tournament had brilliant moments. In the last 16, the Red Devils showed their attacking power with a commanding win over the United States (4-1) that thrilled their fans. Belgium finally looked launched towards something big.
But in the quarters they met Spain, the future champions, who won 2-1 in a tight game and left Belgium without a semi-final once more. The same script again: flashes of great football and an early goodbye.
It is, in all likelihood, the farewell of a generation that gave Belgium their best years but leaves without the big title their quality demanded. A bittersweet ending for an unrepeatable group. Check the World Cup bracket and its scorers on our site.