FIFA World Cup 2018: Of Belgium's Golden Generation and Scifo's Prediction.
Their nimble-footed counter-attacks, the creative genius of their mid-field duo, the safe pair of hands of their finest custodian ever and an experienced yet leaky defence's ability to soak in the pressure and just about not wilt in a crucial match finally gave Belgium's much-touted Golden Generation its finest moment.
The term 'Golden Generation' is often overused in sports, more so in football. And so it seemed, for long, in the case of the current crop of Belgian players, who had flattered to deceive in top international tournaments.
But on a balmy Russian evening in Kazan, this precociously talented bunch finally came of age as they held on; to narrowly edge a Brazilian side, that finally showed the verve and freedom of play in a second-half comeback bid, something the Selecao had missed throughout the tournament.
Not since the days of the midfield genius Enzo Scifo, has a Belgian side been earmarked for success at the global stage.
Not since the days of the midfield genius Enzo Scifo, has a Belgian side been earmarked for success at the global stage.
A young Scifo's ingenuity as a classical number 10 had helped Belgium finish 4th in the 1986 World Cup, six years after his predecessors had finished runners-up to West Germany in the European Championships, which remains Belgium's best ever finish in an international tournament.
Belgian football slumped into mediocrity thereafter as the Red Devils failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups in 2006 and 2010.
Belgian football slumped into mediocrity thereafter as the Red Devils failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups in 2006 and 2010.
Continental form and fortunes also plummeted to a new low as they missed the bus for three consecutive European Championships.
After the team's failed 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign Scifo had opined in an interview given to FIFA.com, "The team's got talent but that spirit I've been talking about is missing.
After the team's failed 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign Scifo had opined in an interview given to FIFA.com, "The team's got talent but that spirit I've been talking about is missing.
We've failed to qualify and that's very hard to take, but there's been a change with this new generation and I think the performances will really start to come over the next couple of years."
Just like his passes, Scifo's prediction too hit the bulls-eye as the 'new generation' of stars started performing at the highest level.
Just like his passes, Scifo's prediction too hit the bulls-eye as the 'new generation' of stars started performing at the highest level.
This new Belgian side was slick. It had midfielders with a silken touch, burly strikers with good finishing skills and big names in the defence.
Almost the entire first XI was playing in the top English Premiership clubs and their exploits in the widely followed league meant expectations skyrocketed as the team made it to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
Clinical victories in all the league matches and a hard-fought win over the United States meant the Belgians were in the last eight of a World Cup for the first time since 1986. But the young side couldn't get past tournament favourites Argentina as they lost by a single goal.
Clinical victories in all the league matches and a hard-fought win over the United States meant the Belgians were in the last eight of a World Cup for the first time since 1986. But the young side couldn't get past tournament favourites Argentina as they lost by a single goal.
This post is from https://www.news18.com
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