Belgium’s Aging Squad Faces Defensive Challenges Ahead of Morocco World Cup Clash

In an interview with RTBF, Joël Domenighetti, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper "L’Équipe", evaluated the Belgian team, future opponent of the Atlas Lions.

"I consider that the Belgian team has aged a bit. The renewal of generations reveals a distance between the level of the young players who are arriving in the selection, especially in defense, and the elders who have more difficulties in managing the speed, intensity and collective speed of the opponents," begins Domenighetti.

Referring to the results of the Red Devils’ warm-up matches, the journalist stated: "there is a form of fragility in the defensive alignment, in the management of depth and more generally in the management of a transition team. Knowing that Belgium has ball possession and a certain technical mastery with world-class players like Kevin De Bruyne. Unfortunately, when there are turnovers, the conversion is a bit, deficient... We see that the defensive difficulties are becoming more and more apparent."

On the offensive level, Belgium sorely lacks arguments. Star Eden Hazard would be out of form according to him. "Hazard no longer plays with Real Madrid, he will need 3 to 4 matches to regain rhythm, power in his legs," he said, recalling in the same register that the other offensive asset Romelu Lukaku may not be available for the first round.