Fansided

One reason every team at the World Cup can win

By Ty Finch

MOSCOW, RUSSIA DECEMBER 1, 2017: Winner's trophy at the Final Draw for 2018 FIFA World Cup at the State Kremlin Palace. Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS (Photo by Stanislav Krasilnikov\TASS via Getty Images)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA DECEMBER 1, 2017: Winner's trophy at the Final Draw for 2018 FIFA World Cup at the State Kremlin Palace. Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS (Photo by Stanislav Krasilnikov\TASS via Getty Images) /
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BRUSSEL, BELGIUM – MARCH 27: Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 4-0 with Romelu Lukaku during an International Friendly between Belgium and Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2018 in Brussel, Belgium. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
BRUSSEL, BELGIUM – MARCH 27: Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 4-0 with Romelu Lukaku during an International Friendly between Belgium and Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2018 in Brussel, Belgium. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

Group G:

Belgium: It’s their time

Belgium aren’t often thought of as one of the traditional major soccer powers in the world. Those accolades usually go to the likes of Germany, Spain and Brazil. But, at least for this World Cup, they have every bit of the talent that those teams have, and, some might argue, even more than the others do.

This is Belgium’s best chance for a World Cup trophy. Anyone with even passing familiarity with the Premier League understands how vast their talent pool is. Belgium could potentially start a full team of just Premier League players. Of course, their depth of talent goes far beyond the Premier League, even though seven of their starting XI for the friendly against Saudi Arabia play their club soccer there.

Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany, Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Radja Nainggolan, Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku are just a few of the massive superstars in world soccer that Roberto Martinez has the pleasure of choosing for the national team.

Belgium will likely play a back three, allowing Witsel and De Bruyne, arguably the best player in the Premier League this year, to play more of a free role in the center. With De Bruyne feeding through balls to Hazard and Mertens to run onto, as well as an intelligent, powerful forward in Lukaku, there’s not a country in the world that would be confident of stopping their attack.

This is Belgium’s “Golden Generation,” and they need to pull together to win a major trophy in the next few years before time catches up to some of their stars. They’ve made it to the quarterfinals in both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Euros, but can’t seem to find that final push. This could be their time.

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