Sportingly, the Red Devils benefited from an extremely feasible draw in the World Cup qualifiers. Qualification is therefore an absolute necessity, but the national team also needs a different mindset before the World Cup.
Analyst Marc Degryse believes that we must take inspiration from the example of Club Brugge. Belgium topped the FIFA rankings for years and won the bronze medal at the 2018 World Cup. But that was the last big moment.
At the following European Championship, the Devils fell in the quarter-finals, and the 2022 World Cup even turned into a real disaster. After this tournament in Qatar, many changes were made.
Several players left the selection and a new coach was recruited in the person of Domenico Tedesco. The latter first brought a much-needed breath of fresh air. But in the end, he didn’t contribute much.
Last summer’s European Championship ended in further disappointment, and the most recent Nations League campaign was even more disappointing.
A state of mind similar to that of Club Brugge
It is therefore likely that Tedesco will soon be thanked for services rendered. But to return to the heights of the past, a change of national coach will not be enough. The entire national team and, by extension even the entire Belgian Union, therefore need a different attitude. No more winning mentality.
Degryse is counting primarily on the new sports director Vincent Mannaert. “At the time, he also succeeded in establishing this mentality at Club Brugge and the Blauw and Zwart reaped the rewards, both sportingly and financially. Belgium must acquire this mentality. It’s up to Vincent Mannaert to establish it in Tubize”, reports Het Laatste Nieuws.
Bruges’ star players in selection
The analyst goes even further. According to him, Club Brugge players also deserve to have more chances with the national team after their good performances in recent weeks.
“Mignolet, Seys, De Cuyper, Mechele and Vanaken should be considered if you see them doing well in the Champions League. We shouldn’t worry about who the Red Devils will be in two, three or four years. What matters is the present moment,” Degryse said.
