Of the considerable number of groups that have never lifted a World Cup, Belgium look best put to win their first in Russia. The nation gloats a brilliant age of players, drove by Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard. Their principle match in the first-round gathering is England, which happens to be where Belgium’s mentor Roberto Martinez has spent nearly his whole vocation in football.
Martinez oversaw Swansea, Wigan and Everton before moving to Belgium in 2016 to assume control over the Red Devils. He lives simply outside Brussels in the town of Waterloo, the site of one of Britain’s most noteworthy military triumphs. In the parlor of a London lodging, the Catalan disclosed to ESPN FC what Belgium could accomplish in Russia.
Q. You’ve said you were pulled in to training Belgium by your interest about their players. What made you inquisitive?
A. The intriguing thing about Belgian players is that I oversaw three unique players in the Premier League – Kevin Mirallas, Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini – and every one of the three were altogether different, not similarly as players but rather as individuals. At that point you are confronting players like [Jan] Vertonghen, [Toby] Alderweireld, [Vincent] Kompany, [Thibaut] Courtois, Hazard, De Bruyne – the rundown goes on – and you’re considering, admirably, the assorted variety in this gathering is exceptional.
It’s a country between three national dialects. The dominant part of youthful children currently are speaking Flemish, French, and English. When you talk diverse dialects, it makes you mindful that things should be possible in a wide range of ways. I think they are more suited to movement and adjust therefore. Spanish individuals, we have to head out keeping in mind the end goal to comprehend that there is another approach to live or think than how we do in Spain.
It’s comparable in the UK. When I was overseeing in the Premier League, you knew you could sign a Belgian and he would adjust to your changing area straight away, no issue with dialect, no issue with mindfulness, no issue with want to end up essential in the gathering. They are exceptionally mindful that the diversion doesn’t rotate around you.
Q. How have you found working with this team?
A. I’ve been satisfied and surprised how much they enjoy being with each other. Maybe the fact that they all play abroad, coming together is almost a good opportunity to get an old feeling. This is a group that has been playing a long time together. You could go back to 2008 and the Olympic Games in Beijing, and going through two big tournaments, becoming the No. 1 [ranked] team in the world, now becoming the first European team to qualify for the World Cup. These little nice stories allow them to keep progressing.
Since the first friendly against Spain [which Belgium lost, in September 2016], I think we’ve been unbeaten in 16. If we could become a team, with all the individuals that we have, it’s going to be really enjoyable to watch what we can achieve.
Q. What have you tried to add to the team?
A. Like any nation that wants to do something important in a major tournament, you need to be able to face adversity. We must become a team that can suffer when it’s needed to be a winning team rather than a good team.
Normally, the team that deserves to win a league wins the league. In cup competition like World Cups, it doesn’t happen like that. It’s the one [team] that was ready at the right moment to take the opportunity. The mental side is probably the most important aspect in a World Cup.
Q. Why is Kevin De Bruyne never as good for Belgium as for Manchester City?
A. I don’t think that’s fair. Kevin has had incredible moments with the national team. But I don’t think you can make a comparison. You play 60, 65 games at club level, and you work on synchronization and on this, that and the other.