‘Better now than later’ was the sentiment from Belgium defender Timothy Castagne on Saturday when he was asked if he was concerned by the 2-1 friendly defeat to Egypt on Friday.
“I prefer that it be done now before the tournament and that we talk well rather than starting the first match with a defeat like that so after that, we have to solve the problems, that’s for sure,” he said at a press conference.
”I think the important thing is to fix the two or three little things that caused problems during the match and that it doesn’t happen.”
Qatar will mark Belgium’s third straight appearance at the World Cup finals, 14th overall. They were quarter-finalists in 2014 and improved with a third place finish four years later.
Roberto Martinez is the man at the helm and will be hoping to concoct the right formula for that extra step or two up the podium.
The 49-year-old Spaniard has a cluster of prominent household names to work around with.
Thibaut Courtois is a reliable presence between the sticks, but it is the defence line that could prove to be the Red Devils’ achilles heel.
Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are the preferred choices in Martinez’s back three, but at the wrong end of their 30s could find the going tough against quicksilvers.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne is also the mastermind behind Belgium’s attack and is arguably the best in his position right now.
But ‘Ginger Pele’, who has three World Cup finals goals to his name, has often attracted criticism for not bringing his A-game at national level.
Policing the midfield are Axel Witsel and Youri Tielemans, the latter who plays his club football for Leicester City and is renowned for his long-range shooting.
Eden Hazard has not enjoyed the best of times since his move from Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2019, and will be raring to make an impact in the Middle East. When on song, the diminutive attacker can be a handful.
Romelu Lukaku resides at the top of the attacking apex and he is Belgium’s all-time leading scorer with 68 goals. Like Hazard, the Inter Milan ace is experiencing the lows of his club career.
He has not banged in the goals for Inter during his second spell, and that after a torrid 2021 with Chelsea. Nonetheless, Lukaku needs one more goal to become his country’s outright World Cup finals topscorer.
Belgium are in Group F and open their campaign against Canada on 23 November. They will then tackle Morocco four days later before wrapping up against 2018 finalists Croatia on 1 December.
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