Belgium's so-called 'golden generation' of footballers is facing an uncertain future following their exit from the World Cup. The team, which featured a prime lineup including Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Eden Hazard in their opening 2014 World Cup match against Algeria, has reached the quarter-finals or beyond in multiple tournaments but has yet to secure a major title. Despite reaching the semi-finals in 2018 and finishing third, critics argue that a group with such talent should have achieved more.
Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague commented that "To be a golden generation you have to win some gold and then you can be called that." He added that while the team has had a "good run" and achieved a third-place finish in the last World Cup, expectations in Belgium have been set very high. Balague suggested that demanding a win from Belgium, especially in comparison to other strong European teams like Italy and Spain, might be "a little bit too much."
The current World Cup campaign ended with a group stage exit. Several veteran players, including those who debuted in 2014 and are now in their early thirties such as Leandro Trossard, Timothy Castagne, Hans Vanaken, and Thomas Meunier, may have played their last World Cup minutes. Manager Rudi Garcia expressed disappointment for the players who might not return to the national team, stating that he had hoped his veteran players could have "one last hurrah" and go further in the tournament.
The 2014 World Cup squad that beat Algeria 2-1 in their opening game was described as an all-star fantasy team. Players like Courtois, De Bruyne, Witsel, Lukaku, Hazard, Mousa Dembele, and Vincent Kompany started, with Dries Mertens and Marouane Fellaini coming off the bench. Belgium not only topped their group that year but also reached the quarter-finals. They improved in 2018, reaching the final four, and secured third place. The same core group also reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 and Euro 2020. However, their 2022 World Cup journey concluded prematurely in the group stages.