As it turns out, Belgium might just be alright. Talk of a golden generation is long over and, to be fair, their first two World Cup results only furthered the idea that the Red Devils' time has passed. If Friday's group stage finale against New Zealand is any indication, though, Belgium's old guard might just have one last run at all of this.
By sweeping away New Zealand, 5-1, Belgium surged to the top of Group G while reclaiming their place as a team to watch this summer. One win over the group's fourth-place team won't erase all of the doubts this team was dealing with, but it sure will help as Belgium did build some confidence heading into the next phase of the World Cup.
The old guard helped get them there. Kevin De Bruyne provided one of the goals, scoring a goal that fans have been seeing for years. Then, off the bench, Romelu Lukaku was the one to put the cherry on top, scoring a thunderous header just seconds after entering the game. Those two have been doing their part for years but, on Friday, they also had help.
The star of the show, though, was Leandro Trossard . The winger scored twice, once on either side of halftime, to really lead the Belgium attack. Trossard, playing in his second World Cup, came in during the final days of that golden generation talk and, this time around, he was the clear Man of the Match.
Everyone seemingly played their part. Alexis Saelemaekers was the fifth goalscorer. Jeremy Doku created havoc on the wing. Charles De Ketelaere was a strong presence up top, while Hans Vanaken ran the midfield.
Belgium have long been a team of stars, and they still are. On Friday, those stars aligned to get this team back on track with some big help from the supporting cast, too.
GOALrates Belgium's players from Vancouver...
Goalkeeper & Defence
Thibaut Courtois (6/10):
Didn't have to do much of anything after certainly doing his fair share in the first two games. Did have to make one save early in the second half as New Zealand fought to get back into it.
Maxim De Cuyper (7/10):
A real presence on that left-hand side. Contributed plenty with and without the ball.
Arthur Theate (6/10):
Smooth with his passing and had it pretty easy on the defensive side.
Brandon Mechele (7/10):
Again little to do defensively, but he was generally the player on the ball when Belgium had possession.
Timothy Castagne (6/10):
Pretty good. No real notes.
Midfield
Hans Vanaken (7/10):
Created chance after chance. A real creative force that probably deserved more than just the one assist.
Youri Tielemans (7/10):
Received the ball and passed the ball. Rise and repeat over and over again.
Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):
This was vintage De Bruyne. So many touches, so many shots and, finally, one went in for Belgium's third. He's still got it!
Attack
Leandro Trossard (9/10):
Absolutely fantastic. Scored two goals, had a penalty jsut overturned by VAR and, just generally, put New Zealand in a blender all night long. Incredible performance from a player often overlooked in this team.
Jeremy Doku (7/10):
Only played 56 minutes but, in that time, he had his moments. Several of those moments, of course, came from his ability to beat defenders.
Charles De Ketelaere (7/10):
Not the leading man, but a valuable supporting actor. A good reference point for Belgium's attack as he allowed those around him to reap the rewards.
Subs & Manager
Matias Fernandez-Pardo (7/10):
Came on in place of Doku and, while he didn't get many touches, it felt like every one he did get was impactful.
Alexis Saelemaekers (9/10):
Got his goal right at the end after looking dangerous leading up to it.
Amadou Onana (6/10):
Replaced De Bruyne to help Belgium see out the game.
Romelu Lukaku (9/10):
Scored with his first touch and then set up another one. A fantastic moment for a Belgian legend.
Nicolas Raskin (8/A):
Came in very late alongside Lukaku, but set up the striker's goal with a cross.
Roberto Martinez (9/10):
Got the win and managed his substitutions well. A good day that set Belgium up for the future.
