Are the Red Devils clinging on to the ageing remnants of a golden generation, as one sports journalist writes? And if so, will those remnants get them through the group stage?
Belgium’s Red Devils face off against IR Iran on Sunday, 21 June, at 21.00 Belgian time. It is the national side’s second match at World Cup 2026, with the first – against Egypt – ending in a 1-1 draw.
Whether the Devils win or lose, they will go on to play New Zealand a week later, on 27 June. That will be the third and final Group G match, at which point it will be determined which teams in Group G will move on to the Round of 32.
The tie with Egypt was a bit of a blow – landing the Devils just one of a potential three points in the group stage. Concerning Sunday’s match, American sportswriter Calvin Osei notes that “for Belgium, a side that crashed out at the group stage in Qatar 2022, this is the game that determines whether this World Cup is a genuine redemption story or another early exit”.
Good, but how good?
Most pundits expect that the Devils will beat Iran, have a good chance against New Zealand, and will reach the Round of 32. The real question they are asking is not whether Belgium can survive the group phase, but whether they can become serious contenders once the knockout rounds begin. Sportsmole contends that they are “still clinging on to the ageing remnants of a ‘golden generation’.”
The Devils fly to LA tonight, where they play Iran in the SoFi Stadium on Sunday.