Team created by a collaborative effort of 27DONI72, Milos, StuartBannigan and gurkenjoe93












Honours:

• FIFA World Cup

Third place (1): 2018
Fourth place (1): 1986

• UEFA European Championship

Runner-Up (1): 1980
Third place (1): 1972

• UEFA Nations League

Fourth place (1): 2021


COACH: Guy THYS




The best ever Belgian players 23 man squad



GOALKEEPERS:

● Jean-Marie PFAFF
● Michel PREUD'HOMME

DEFENDERS:

● Armand SWARTENBROEKS
● Laurent VERBIEST
● Georges HEYLENS
● Eric GERETS
● Michel RENQUIN
● Walter MEEUWS
● Jan VERTONGHEN

MIDFIELDERS:

● Joseph JURION
● Wilfried VAN MOER
● Jan CEULEMANS
● Enzo SCIFO
● Franky VAN DER ELST
● Eden HAZARD
● Kevin DE BRUYNE

FORWARDS:

● Raymond BRAINE
● Bernard VOORHOOF
● Joseph MERMANS
● Victor LEMBERECHTS
● Rik COPPENS
● Paul VAN HIMST
● Romelu LUKAKU




_____________________________________________________________



RESERVES:


GOALKEEPERS:

● Jean DE BIE
● Christian PIOT
● Thibaut COURTOIS

DEFENDERS:

● Robert PAVERICK
● Fons VAN BRANDT
● Leo CLIJSTERS
● Georges GRÜN
● Stephane DEMOL
● Philippe ALBERT
● Daniel VAN BUYTEN
● Vincent KOMPANY
● Thomas VERMAELEN
● Toby ALDERWEIRELD

MIDFIELDERS:

● Pierre BRAINE
● Vic MEES
● François VAN DER ELST
● Ludo COECK
● René VANDEREYCKEN
● Franky VERCAUTEREN
● Lorenzo STAELENS
● Marc WILMOTS
● Marouane FELLAINI
● Axel WITSEL

FORWARDS:

● Robert DE VEEN
● Robert COPPÉE
● Désiré BASTIN
● Jean CAPELLE
● Leopold ANOUL
● Wilfried PUIS
● Raoul LAMBERT
● Erwin VANDENBERGH
● Marc DEGRYSE
● Dries MERTENS

Lukaku by default is above Lemberechts here.

Lukaku sucked in WC14 and EC16, reserves is more than enough for him.
Maybe Lambert could be in first team even if we haven't a set for him.

Lemberechts didn't even play at the WC54.

Then, it should be someone who can play in the positions listed in the ideal formation, since is useless to have him on tthe squad when there are no playing with 3 forwards.

EDIT:

Rather have De Cleyn on board, almost similar style than Lukaku, just smaller.

Maybe an additional formation would be good.

I don't see a reason why this team needs another CF. We already have six players for two central striker positions (+ Ceulemans for CF/SS and Wilmots/Jurion/van Moer who could play as SS), so there is no need to add Lambert here (would be great to have his stats btw).
I added Lemberechts to this team some months ago because a) he is the best ever Belgian winger and b) the team was lacking a right winger. I considered Lemberechts as the best solution and JeanMarc also agreed with it..
The only player who is missing here, is Julien Cools, who captained the Belgian NT when they reached Euro final in 1980. I don't know why Adhitz didn't put him here and I also missed him when I added some modern players to this team some months ago..

I'm not expert in those pre-war Belgium forwards but Lambert was great in the 70's , if you are sure they were better than him, for me there's no problem to keep him in reserves.

Now that Belgium have achieved their highest finish in the World Cup, I feel that Hazard and Lukaku deserve first team. Lukaku was excellent all tournament, and Hazard is a serious contender for player of the tournament. It might be a bit harder to make space for Lukaku, but Hazard is definitely a lot better than Wilmots...

+1

De Bruyne and Courtois play really great too...
EDIT: Vittsel was a great sorprise!

More alive than ever.

Also Marc Degryse and Toby Alderweireld can be added in reserves.

I think this team needs an overhaul too,

Courtois, Verthongen, Kompany, E. Hazard, de Bruyne & R. Lukaku should be considered to be in the first team!

I don't think Courtois holds a candle against Preud'homme and Pfaff yet.

You are right about that, but how about some of the others?

Espacially Hazard & Lukaku?

Yes Kompany for Verbiest who's only there because he died, the same lame Duncan Edwards criteria.

Verthonghen for Swartenbroeks or Grün.

Lukaku for anybody between: Braine, Voorhoof, Lemberechts, Mermans or Coppens.

Hazard for Jurion.

De Bruyne for Wilmots.