[seb22]

I've been thinking after it looks like Chelsea will get Lukaku and De Bruyne who both play for The Belgium National Team (both at 19 years old) .Their current squad from GK to STK, they have some very promising players who have fantastic 'potential' if they can gel together as a team.


GK:

Courtois (19 years old, Genk) has been targeted by several PL teams including Chelsea.

Mignolet (22 years old Sunderland) has taken over as number 1 and been quite consistent when called upon.


CB:

Kompany ( 25 years old, Man City) Been their best player this season and very solid at the back and good captain when needed. Him and Vidic were the best defenders this season.

Vermaelen ( 25 years old, Arsenal ) Had a fantastic first season and been blighted by injury since but it was clear that Arsenal need him back ASAP.


MDF:

Witsel ( 22, Standard Liege) Not watched him regularly last season but he always seems to be a player who could make the step up to a PL team.


Defour (23, Liege) Pretty much the same as Witsel.

Kevin De Bruyne ( 19, currently Genk but soon to be Chelsea) He must have some potential if at such a young age to grab Chelsea's attention. Scored some cracking goals this season and several assists.

Fellaini ( 23 , Everton) Crazy hair man but also a talented footballer who before his injury an integral player to them. Physical but decent with his feet also.


FWD/Winger/AM:

Lukaku ( 19, Anderlecht currently but Chelsea next week). Dubbed the next Drogba and has 31 goals in 72 games in 2 seasons. Strong, good in the air, fast and decent finisher. Potentially a very good player.


Hazard ( 20, Lille) Ligue 1 player of the year. Been mentioned on here numerous times and with other clubs including Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool etc. Very nifty player and would be a good addition to most clubs.


So back to the question. With all this 'potential', could Belgium in Brazil 2014, France Euro 2016 and Russia 2018 possibly have a team of great individuals who could combine to be winners on the international stage.

I am trying to think of any other national team with such an average age younger than the Belgium team considering all of them are starters except for De Bruyne. None of these players are older than 25 years old, which is extraordinary. They are currently in 2nd place in the Euro Qualifications behind Germany ( no mean feat) and just ahead of Turkey by 1 point. Surprise package of Euro 2012 maybe?

[SirRamAlot]

Not absurd to claim that at all, you are right they have players with great talent, but I doubt they'd win or get to the final. I'm sure they'll go further than they usually do, but a lot of others teams like Germany have young players who are fantastic potentials who have developed and already proved it on the big stage. Even Italy who are known for their team of old-farts have some young talented individuals in attack who have proven themselves. Let's see if the Belgian lot can.

[wildrover]

Not a chance of winning euro 2012, England, Germany, Holland, Spain, France and Italy will make up 6/8 that leave the group stage so Belgium will be lucky to even leave there group.

[CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK]

Gotta qualify first haven't they, how's their campaign going?

Certainly that list seems to hold some promise but how many times have we said that about England? And I think however good they sound they and so many other teams are just so far behind Spain and Germany.

[MoMatrix]

Not while Brazil,Argentina,Germany,France, England,Italy,Holland,Portugal, Spain are playing international football.

[seb22]

(Original post by wildrover)
Not a chance of winning euro 2012, England, Germany, Holland, Spain, France and Italy will make up 6/8 that leave the group stage so Belgium will be lucky to even leave there group.

I was talking more about WC 2014 etc rather than doing anything in Euro 2012 ( where they are 2nd in the group behind Germany)

[Fusion]

1 Germany Germany 7 21
2 Belgium Belgium 7 11
3 Turkey Turkey 6 10
4 Austria Austria 6 7
5 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 6 3
6 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 6 3

They've hardly set their qualifying group alight.

It's worth noting that Belgium is far from the most nationalistic of countries, what with it's flemish-wallonian divide, whether this substantially effects the national side, particularly support wise, is a fair consideration.

[Jim-ie]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
Not while Brazil,Argentina,Germany,France, England,Italy,Holland,Portugal are playing international football.

lol at putting england in with those teams.

just lol.

[iRyan]

Since Greece won Euro 2004, you can't write off any minor nation!

[MoMatrix]

(Original post by Jim-ie)
lol at putting england in with those teams.

just lol.

England are better than Portugal and Italy.

[HarveyCanis]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
Not while Brazil,Argentina,Germany,France, England,Italy,Holland,Portugal are playing international football.

You place England in that group and not Spain? Cool story bro.

[Genocidal]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
England are better than Portugal and Italy.

Italy perhaps. Portugal very debatable; England are complete and utter garbage, it's actually comical that England fans still like to entertain the delusion that they are a strong, powerful and major team in international football.

[CB91]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
England are better than Portugal and Italy.

Exactly the sort of attitude that stops the English national side progressing.

[MoMatrix]

(Original post by Genocidal)
Italy perhaps. Portugal very debatable; England are complete and utter garbage, it's actually comical that England fans still like to entertain the delusion that they are a strong, powerful and major team in international football.

England aren't fantastic at the moment but really the only teams streets ahead of them are Spain and Brazil. The rest I feel they can compete with.

[MoMatrix]

(Original post by CB91)


Exactly the sort of attitude that stops the English national side progressing.

Portugal are a very inconsistent team without Ronaldo their team struggles to compete with the likes of Denmark and Norway. Italy the less said about them the better.

[Genocidal]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
England aren't fantastic at the moment but really the only teams streets ahead of them are Spain and Brazil. The rest I feel they can compete with.

They are drawing for the lead with Montenegro in a group of four. That's sad, really sad; what about Netherlands, Germany and Argentina? Uruguay to some extent? Let's also remember the world cup wasn't ages ago neither and they drew with both the USA and Algeria. These are not one-off setbacks.

[CB91]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
Portugal are a very inconsistent team without Ronaldo their team struggles to compete with the likes of Denmark and Norway. Italy the less said about them the better.

You obviously don't know much about Portugal and Italy if you think that they are on a par with Denmark and Norway or worse.

[Prime500]

(Original post by MoMatrix)
England aren't fantastic at the moment but really the only teams streets ahead of them are Spain and Brazil. The rest I feel they can compete with.

Yes, because England competed so well with Germany at the last World Cup.

[MoMatrix]

(Original post by CB91)
You obviously don't know much about Portugal and Italy if you think that they are on a par with Denmark and Norway or worse.

I don't know much about Italy I follow Italian football very closely and their current generation is the least talented they've ever had. Portugal have played Denmark and Norway on 6-8 occasions in the last 3 years and have struggled with them, they are talented but there is no evidence to them being better than England.

[MoMatrix]

(Original post by Genocidal)
They are drawing for the lead with Montenegro in a group of four. That's sad, really sad; what about Netherlands, Germany and Argentina? Uruguay to some extent? Let's also remember the world cup wasn't ages ago neither and they drew with both the USA and Algeria. These are not one-off setbacks.

Argentina were absolutely obliterated by Germany don't forget that. England have the makings of a good team as witnessed by the World Cup qualfication campaign now I'm not saying they are the best, it's a complete joke when people say the likes of Italy and Portugal are currently better.