On July 2nd, Belgium’s European Championship campaign came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to France in the Round of 16. This loss signifies the conclusion of Belgium’s golden generation, which, over the past ten years, has failed to secure any major tournament final appearances or accolades.
Starting with the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where Belgium’s golden generation made its debut, a young squad featuring stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois showcased immense talent, albeit with limited experience. The team reached the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly defeated by Argentina 0-1.
From that point, this talented group embarked on a journey, but they couldn’t bring major honors to Belgian football. Their brightest moment came at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where they advanced to the semi-finals before losing 0-1 to France and then defeating England for third place.
In comparison to Croatia, who once reached the World Cup final, Belgium’s golden generation had an even more unfortunate run, never making it to the final of any major tournament.