And if they do they’ll have to rely on Chelsea shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois. Courtois, like most of his Chelsea teammates, had a difficult season which saw them miss out on the top 4. However, he has an impressive record for his national team averaging a clean sheet every other game and if he can keep that going, who knows… Belgium could become the ninth different team to be crowned World Champions.
Belgium’s back 3 at this tournament will likely be Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Vincent Kompany and defences don’t come much more experienced than that.
Belgium will fancy their chances of winning and keeping a clean sheet in their first two group encounters with Panama and Tunisia before a highly anticipated match-up with England, which again they will be favourites to win.
The Red Devils will also be favourites to progress from the round of 16, whoever they play which would see them into a third quarter-finals in a row at tournaments. There they are likely to face either Brazil or Germany which is where we would find out just how good they really are but Roberto Martínez’s side wouldn’t fear either.
You feel that if Courtois is to add this individual award to his array of accolades then his side are going to at least do what no Belgium team has done since Mexico ’86, reach a semi finals.