Just reading an article in The Independent on 'The League of Nations' at the WC. Over 100 non English PL players will feature. Not surprising in itself but it breaks it down country by country and holy crap the side Belgium could put out just from the PL is incredible. Mignolet, Vertonghen, Kompany, Vermaelen, Fellaini, Hazard, Miralles, Dembele, Chadli, Lukaku, Benteke. I know that's not a genuine formation (3-5-2?) as such but if they click that's a QF team at worst. Apologies for no link.
Aye, and you can 16-1 for Belgium to win it. Although taking the very hot weather into account, and the fact they are the home nation, i fancy Brazil.
They'll do well to emulate Preud'homme, Gerets, Ceulemans, Van Der Elst, Scifo etc from 1986 & 1990 Great team and great fans.
Belgium will be a real contender imo. Like you say their starting XI drawn from the Prem is top drawer. Likely they'll get the Portuguese in the R16 and then the Argies in the QF. For those reasons alone I will be rooting for them - until and unless they play England (which would mean us getting to SF or F so not much chance of that)
I think those Argies will win it. I hope not, like. Once Woy has knocked us out by picking Cleverley and Smalling, i'll probably follow Belgium.
Belgium know this is their golden generation. They'll obviously give it a go in the summer but their sights are set on Euro2016. Weather should be more to their liking and travel distances somewhat reduced.
Got some fantastic players. I want to live in Belgium when I've made my fortune, very pleasant country.
Flanders is like East Yorkshire but with unexploded mines and bombs, lots of Commonwealth war cemeteries, vast array of local independent beers and appetising foods. Always makes me smile when some metropolitan types brand it 'boring'. Get ****ed silly ****s.
Only one thing for it. Win the FA Cup, qualify for the Europa League, draw Anderlecht or Club Brugge and go have a look-see for ourselves.
Can’t remember who historically said it, but the quote was something like: “ England created Belgium to annoy the French”. They’re one of the few countries who seem to actually like the English. I recall their teams of ’86 and ’90 well. Before they went into decline in the 90s – pretty natural for a small country – Holland had a time in the **** before their amazing 1988 team. Scifo was top class and I also remember their other keeper (Pffaf?) being pretty good. We were lucky to do ‘em in 1990 and they were unlucky to play Argentina in the Semi Final in ’86. If they’d have got WG, Belgium would have had an excellent chance of playing the final.
You should have tried cutting through the overgrown part of the Spring Bank cemetery after a night out in the 70s/80s.....
[video=youtube;Kr2Kh0zU-J0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr2Kh0zU-J0[/video] We're from Antwerp, we love the Great Old
Aren't they just a feeder club for Man Utd these days? Shame, I recall them as a kid as being a 'name'.
