Belgium entered the World Cup with a familiar name, a respected history, and the expectation that it would still be one of the teams to watch in Group G. Through two matches, that expectation has turned into a question.
After a 1-1 draw against Egypt and a 0-0 draw against Iran, Belgium is still searching for its first win of the tournament. The results have not ended its World Cup hopes, but they have raised a bigger question around the team: how far away is Belgium from the side that once looked like one of the most dangerous teams in international soccer?
For years, Belgium’s golden generation made the country a regular name in conversations about World Cup contenders. Players like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, and Toby Alderweireld helped turn Belgium into one of the most talented national teams in the world. At its peak, Belgium had star power in every part of the field.
But this World Cup has shown a different version of Belgium.
The team is still competitive, but it has not looked sharp enough in the final third. Against Egypt, Belgium fell behind before finding a way back into the match. Against Iran, Belgium controlled long stretches and created chances, but could not turn possession into a goal. Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand played a major role in keeping Belgium out, while Belgium’s own frustration grew as the match went on.
That has been the story of Belgium’s tournament so far: enough control to stay in games, but not enough end product to take over them.
The issue is not that Belgium lacks talent. The issue is that the team no longer feels as automatic as it once did. The older core that defined the golden generation is either gone, aging, or no longer carrying matches in the same way. At the same time, the newer group is still trying to fully establish its own identity.
That leaves Belgium in an uncomfortable place — caught between what it used to be and what it is trying to become.
Its final group match against New Zealand now carries added pressure. Belgium does not just need a result to keep its World Cup campaign alive. It needs a performance that shows there is still a clear direction for this team. A win could settle some of the concern and send Belgium into the knockout stage with momentum. Another flat performance would only add to the questions.
Belgium is not finished, but the gap between reputation and reality has become harder to ignore.
The golden generation once made Belgium look like a team built to win now. In this World Cup, Belgium looks more like a team trying to prove it still belongs in that conversation.
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