Two Robbies Daily: Now or never for Belgium
Is this the final curtain call for Belgium's golden era? Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe debate whether this World Cup represents the absolute last chance for the veteran core of the Belgian squad to capture ultimate glory before the window slams shut.
Video Transcript
Welcome to the Two Robbies Daily, game day four.
There's some great games today and tomorrow, we'll preview them.
And we're gonna start with Holland versus Japan.
A difficult game to call when you think Holland qualified reasonably easily, and when they get to competition time, they generally turn up.
They've won 16 straight games in group stages of World Cup so far, and you just think with a team that can boast Van Dijk and Van de Ven at the back, with De Jong, with Gravenberch, with Reijnders in midfield, and the all-time Dutch goalscorer Memphis Depay at the top end of the pitch.
It's certainly a Dutch team that can go deep.
I don't think it's a Dutch team that can win it.
Let's get to one of the tournament favorites, Spain.
The European champions enter the tournament, they play against Cape Verde, a very winnable game for them.
And with Spain, you know what you're gonna get.
You're gonna get a zillion passes from a brilliant midfield, Rodri, Pedri, Fabien Ruiz, Zubimendi, the list goes on and on.
And a front line that can deliver.
Probably Nico Williams on one side, and a future star of this tournament, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal for Barcelona, is a magnificent player that could absolutely, when fit, light up this show.
He really could.
And a sneaky good forward they've got for goal scoring, Mikel Oyarzabal, 19 goals, involvement in 13 international games.
I tell you, Spain have got it all.
Sweden versus Tunisia.
Sweden got into the tournament through the back door a little bit.
They topped their group in Nation League play, which got them into a playoff, which they won to get through to this tournament.
Of course, in USA 1994, when the tournament was here, Sweden finished third under the brilliance of Henrik Larsson.
And now their front players, equally good.
Alexander Isak, of course, recently moved to Liverpool, and Victor Gyokeres, a Premier League champion with Arsenal.
That is some front line.
But don't discount Tunisia.
A very, very good side defensively.
Didn't concede a single goal in their qualifying campaign.
Another tough game to call tomorrow is Belgium versus Egypt.
I'm gonna concentrate on a Belgium team that have been a powerhouse of football, but never really got close to, to winning any silverware.
It's a, it's a Belgian team that like to share the goals around.
Only Norway scored more goals than them in European qualifications.
And when you think that Romelu Lukaku's in the team, but he's not the go-to guy he was, will probably start from the bench.
You've got Do- Doku, you've got De Bruyne, you've got De Ketelaere, you've got Trossard.
There's plenty of attacking threat.
It's a Belgium team that kinda feel could go pretty deep, but it's now or never for this golden generation.
