Belgium's chance at greatness there for the taking at Brazil's World Cup

Dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, he looked like any other young fan heading to the Champions League quarterfinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Ben Lyttleton | Jun 5, 2014

Belgium's chance at greatness there for the taking at Brazil's World Cup /

Dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, he looked like any other young fan heading to the Champions League quarterfinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. But this was Thorgan Hazard, younger brother of Chelsea and Belgium winger Eden, and he was excited about the game ahead.

"Eden is faster with the ball than without it," Thorgan said. "He'll never forget that football's a game, and what I like when I watch him is seeing him try impossible things."

Hazard said that last season his form pushed him into the world's top 10 players, but if he is to cement that position, or indeed challenge the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo hegemony at the top, then the next few weeks will play a pivotal role in his career. When it comes to playing for Belgium, Hazard holds up his hands and accepts any criticism that comes his way. After all, 40 caps and five goals, four of which came from penalties, is not a return that reflects his outstanding talent.

"I like the coach [Marc Wilmots], and he likes me but that doesn't give me carte blanche on the field," Hazard told Interieur Sport in a documentary called "The Normal One."

Wilmots has compared Hazard to Messi for the way he continues to play football and make dribbles while never moaning about the constant fouls that come his way. Before every match, Thorgan, who won the Soulier D'Or for Belgium's Young Player of the Year, sends Eden a text message that says, "Give the fans a feast for their eyes."

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Eden Hazard does not mind when the pressure increases, and even headlines like Sport/Foot's "100% Hazard," suggesting the team is reliant on him (it's not), he takes in his stride. The irony is that this Belgium side is less reliant on Hazard's creativity than the Chelsea team under Jose Mourinho. After Chelsea's Champions League semifinal elimination to Atletico Madrid, Hazard caused a mini-storm when he told BeIn Sport: "I'm often expected to make a difference on my own and sometimes that's not easy."

That's not the case for Les Diables Rouges, where Romelu Lukaku will play up front and Dries Mertens or Kevin Mirallas start in the other wing spot (with Adnan Januzaj a handy substitute option too). Behind them Kevin de Bruyne links the midfield and attack: though a player discarded by Mourinho, his performances in qualifying were outstanding and proof that even if Hazard is not on his game, Belgium can be dangerous offensively.

25 Players to Watch at the World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner just helped Real Madrid win its 10th UEFA Champions League title as well. His supporting cast isn’t as impressive as Lionel Messi’s with Argentina or Neymar’s with Brazil, so this tournament should be a chance for Ronaldo to see just how far he can carry a team.

Lionel Messi, Argentina

Despite his obvious talent and immense contributions in conquering Europe with FC Barcelona, Messi’s biggest criticism has always been a perceived lack of similar productivity with the national team. A World Cup on his home continent, with the best Argentina team of the last few cycles around him, should be an opportunity to break that streak.

Ángel di María, Argentina

Angel-di-Maria(2).jpg — Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images

The star of Real Madrid’s Champions League final triumph, di María is a tireless midfielder who combines an explosive change of pace with excellent dribbling ability to unlock defenses. His work rate allows him to continue at the same pace all game, long after opponents have dropped off.

Luis Suárez, Uruguay

Probably the most controversial and divisive player on the planet, there is no doubting Suárez’s ability despite the headlines he accrued in the past seasons. He was voted the best player in the English Premier League by his peers this season, showing the respect he receives among those who know him best.

Arjen Robben, Netherlands

Despite the criticism of being one-footed and a diver, Robben consistently produces for club and country. He’s not strictly a goal scorer, but he seems to pop up in the right place when his team needs one, including in the 2013 Champions League final for Bayern Munich when he scored the late winner — with his left foot, of course.

Neymar, Brazil

After dominating the Brazilian league, Neymar moved to play alongside Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona this season. Injuries and a slow learning curve stunted his productivity, but his new fans did get to see his ability in flashes. The Brazilian national team might be more in his comfort zone, marking a return to the nation he carried to the 2013 Confederations Cup win.

Wayne Rooney, England

Rooney’s productivity didn’t drop with Manchester United’s league and continental fortunes. He scored 19 goals in all competitions, eclipsing his previous season, and he coupled that with seven goals for England in its World Cup qualifying campaign.

Mario Balotelli, Italy

Balotelli has taken heavy criticism for his periodically immature outbursts and a supposed lack of discipline, but a return to Serie A with AC Milan also brought with it an outburst of goals. He scored 18 in all competitions in 2013-14, as well as two in Italy’s Confederations Cup effort last summer.

Andrea Pirlo, Italy

Pirlo may appear ageless, but his game has never been predicated on physicality. While his body gets older, his mind only gets sharper, allowing him to maintain his form as one of the world’s best playmakers. Pirlo can also smack in free kicks with the best of them, making him a threat in multiple phases of play.

Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast

This World Cup will be Drogba’s last stand on the international level. Compared to his club numbers, the 36-year-old’s national team goal-scoring record has been mediocre, his own form personifying a larger listlessness among his nation at the highest levels. He has one last chance to turn the narrative around.

Karim Benzema, France

The 26-year-old Real Madrid forward helped the Spanish side to a Champions League title, scoring 24 goals in all competitions, including five on Europe’s biggest stage. With compatriot Franck Ribery ruled out for the World Cup with a back injury, the onus falls even more on Benzema to lead Les Bleus’ attack.

Keisuke Honda, Japan

Honda finally moved to a big club in January, joining AC Milan from CSKA Moscow. He has been an important player for his national team since bouncing between the Dutch first and second tiers with VVV-Venlo, working his way up gradually and patiently. Honda will be Japan’s primary playmaker in Brazil.

Paul Pogba, France

In many ways, Pogba is similar to Mario Balotelli. He had a dramatic falling out with his manager in England, leaving Manchester United for Juventus in Italy. Since then, he has become a spectacular-goal machine, regularly cutting inside from the right wing to unleash thunderous strikes past hapless goalkeepers.

Eden Hazard, Belgium

After already winning the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award twice, Hazard reminded everybody that he’s still far from his prime, winning the Young Player of the Year award in England this season. Hazard has become the subject of transfer rumors since Chelsea’s season ended, sparked by comments in the press by him and manager José Mourinho that suggest he might be losing favor.

Yaya Touré, Ivory Coast

With a weak defense behind him, Touré will be key in any success the Ivory Coast has at the World Cup. He surged forward to score 24 goals for Manchester City last season, but his physical presence and defensive ability will likely be easier to notice against the dangerous attacks of Colombia and Japan.

Michael Bradley, United States

Bradley is the United States’ version of Xavi, although extremely watered down. Rarely does a U.S. game go by where his pass-completion percentage is below 90, and his late runs from midfield add another wrinkle to the American counterattack. Above all, Bradley’s leadership ability will be vital considering the difficult road the U.S. faces to progressing beyond the group stage.

Manuel Neuer, Germany

After biding his time as a back-up for Germany and at Schalke in the lower tiers of the Bundesliga, Neuer has emerged as the best goalkeeper in the world since Euro 2012 and his move to Bayern Munich the previous summer. He is the complete package: a shot stopper, good on crosses and excellent with the ball at his feet.

Arturo Vidal, Chile

Vidal was Juventus’ leading scorer in continental competition last year, saving his best play for when the lights shined brightest. He works alongside Andrea Pirlo in that midfield, providing the engine as a box-to-box midfielder to complement the older Pirlo’s ability to pick passes. For Chile, Vidal will have to play a larger role.

Alexis Sánchez, Chile

As a frequent option off the bench for FC Barcelona, Sánchez injects pace and one-on-one ability into any game. The way he runs at defenders unsettles back lines, often creating opportunities for teammates by dribbling to the end line and cutting the ball back into onrushing attackers.

Xavi, Spain

Barcelona and Spain’s midfield maestro, few players in the world can pass the ball like Xavi. His high completion percentage shows the beauty of the simple game and how effective it can be if coupled with next-level soccer IQ. Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque will have to find the right partners for Xavi, as Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets are on the club side.

Andrés Iniesta, Spain

With Cesc Fàbregas playing a larger role in central midfield for Barcelona under Tata Martino, Iniesta had to find a way to impact the game from a different spot. As a result, he became a left-winger in Barça’s 4-3-3 that thrives on overloading the middle and providing killer through passes to the forward line.

Luka Modrić, Croatia

Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images

Croatia has the ability to pull off surprise results in Brazil, not least of which would be against the host nation in the opening game. Modrić is well equipped to lead his team and control any game’s tempo from central midfield, along with partner Ivan Rakitić. Modrić is a complete player, proficient with the ball at his feet in both passing and dribbling, as well as maintaining a strong presence in front of the defense.

Robin van Persie, Netherlands

Under Dutch manager Louis van Gaal, van Persie has found the best international form of his life. He scored 11 goals for the Netherlands in qualifying for Brazil 2014, only failing to score in three competitive appearances since Euro 2012. Van Gaal will join van Persie at Manchester United after the World Cup, giving him more of a reason to want to impress his boss.

Edin Džeko, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Džeko finished the season for English champion Manchester City in great form, scoring five goals in his last four appearances. Most of the times Džeko scores, he seems to add another one later in the game, showing his never-satisfied mentality. The big target striker was his country’s leading scorer in qualifying as well, scoring 10 goals in 10 games.

Mesut Özil, Germany

After moving to Arsenal last summer, Özil’s playmaking ability shined with his new club. He can both pass the ball and finish with late midfield runs, playing deeper in the central-midfield block for both his club and Germany. It feels like Özil has been around forever, largely due to making his first-team debut with Schalke at age 17, eight years ago.

The concerns for this team, though, are in defense and specifically at fullback where two center backs, Jan Vertonghen (left) and Toby Alderweireld (right) are expected to start. The last World Cup team to play four center backs across the defense was Diego Maradona's ill-conceived Argentina side from 2010, which lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinal.

Anthony VandenBorre is the other fullback option, but he is more prone to big mistakes than the others. While many in this side are used to club games at the Champions League level, this will be their first experience of major tournament football. Will the memory of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when seven of these players reached the semifinal, provide a positive memory? Or will the buzz that surrounds this generation hinder, rather than help, them?

WORLD CUP ODDS: What are Belgium's chances of winning its group?

"The pressure on the players in Belgium is growing as we are all expecting a lot, but I think that will inspire this group, not intimidate them," Jens Cuypers, a Belgian football writer for VoetbalNieuws, told SI.com.

There are also no fears about coach Wilmots, who as a player scored five goals across two World Cup finals for Belgium (in 1998 and 2002).

"He may be a rookie at this level, but he has brought something fresh to this team, a magic, a spirit, a feeling that the players would do anything for their teammates on the pitch. That is new for this team," Cuypers said.

In 1986, Belgium reached the World Cup semifinals in Mexico, and there is a feeling that in terms of talent alone, this group in Brazil could go as far. The draw, has not worked in its favor, though. If it progresses from Group H, as it should, its next opponent could be Germany or Portugal (sorry, USA fans). Germany is one of the favorites to win the competition, while Portugal is feared because Ronaldo would be 1-on-1 against Belgium¹s weakest link, Alderweireld, on the left wing.

A factor keeping Belgium fans confident, though, is in goal. ThibautCourtois proved himself to be among the world's best goalkeepers this season, winning La Liga and reaching the Champions League final with Atletico Madrid. He can win a game on his own and is in a similar position to Hazard: just four or five good games away from confirming what most of us know already.

"It depends on form, but I know I'm a good player, not a great player yet," Hazard said. "When I hang up my boots I want people to say I was a really great player."

A World Cup is the chance for these Belgium players to prove it.

Published Jun 5, 2014

BEN LYTTLETON

A journalist, broadcaster and consultant, Ben Lyttleton also wrote the book on PKs with his “Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Penalty Kick.”