Why you should watch every team at the 2018 World Cup

Belgium

Belgium are in the midst of a golden generation, arguably their deepest and most talented player pool since their 1986 team finished fourth in that year’s World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne, the Premier League’s best player, is in magnificent form for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Eden Hazard, another one of the Premier League’s best, has 11 goals for Chelsea, and he’ll be joined in attack by Manchester United number 9 Romelu Lukaku, who has 15.

Stalwarts like Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Vermaelen and Jan Vertonghen make up one of the world’s strongest central defensive cores, with LAFC veteran Laurent Ciman among those fighting for spots behind them. Their group of forwards, alongside the winger Hazard and Lukaku, was so strong that Crystal Palace star Christian Benteke has been pushed to the fringe.

Michy Batshuayi, Divock Origi and Kevin Mirallas are also available for selection by manager Roberto Martinez, whose wealth of resources is rivalled by few on the world stage. Even goalkeeper, where Thibaut Courtois holds down the fort, is solid. After 2014’s quarterfinal run, anything less than a semifinal berth has to be considered a disappointment for the Red Devils. They’re too talented for anything less.

They emphatically cruised through UEFA qualifying, dropping just two points as they accumulated 28 from 10 games. Martinez’s squad gave up just six goals total — three of which came in a bananas, but ultimately meaningless for Belgium, 4-3 win at Bosnia — and finished with a plus-37 goal differential. They obliterated Gibraltar 9-0 and 6-0, and expunged Estonia 8-1.

At the World Cup, they will face England, Panama and Tunisia. England is tough, but Panama and Tunisia are weak. Belgium showed four years ago that not even Brick Wall Tim Howard could stop them, so with this cycle’s much improved team, they hold considerable promise. If we’re ranking candidates to win the thing, they’re in the top five.