Belgium are strong according to Diario AS. Amongst their ranks they can count Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, but the fact is they’re yet to win anything. Hazard could be key; the diminutive playmaker has enjoyed a remarkably difficult season at Real Madrid, but on his day he can do things few others have the ability to.
Marc Gabriel Degryse, a legendary Belgian forward, has been offering his opinion on several matters related to the national team, above all on Hazard. “Can we expect the best Hazard if he hasn’t played five good games in a row for two years?” he said. “These two friendlies are going to be important; he’s going to be in an environment where he feels at home. Everyone is going to give him the ball the way he wants, so he may have fun with it. Then he’ll forget all the misery at Real Madrid.”
Hazard was a big money signing in the summer of 2019, coming from Chelsea. He was expected to have the chops to help Madrid enter a new era and be the offensive leader of the team post-Cristiano Ronaldo. Instead, the Belgian has endured a tumultuous time. Having arrived overweight, he’s suffered a succession of niggling injuries and proven unable to take the expected leadership of Los Blancos’ attack.
Belgium, with all their aforementioned talent, are tipped by many to do serious damage at Euro 2020. Roberto Martinez, their coach, has installed an open and attacking philosophical approach, complemented by the weapons at his disposal. They’re in a group with Russia, Denmark and Finland, and will be aiming to go all the way having only made it to the quarter-finals back in 2016.
