BEL—18 · The Road to GloryThree-colour print · Yellow / Red / Black
Belgium18The Road to GloryRed DevilsFIFA World Cup · Russia 14 June — 15 July 2018Seven matches Sixteen goals
The Road to Glory18
Red Devils
Pass 1/3 — Yellow000
BEL—1801/08 — The DreamRussia · 14.06—15.07.2018
Stubs13294554586163
Found at the bottom of the box: one newspaper, folded in four
Scroll to open it ↓
Russia · 14 June — 15 July 2018The Road to GloryUnofficial fanzine edition · No. 1 of 7
Seven matchesSix winsSixteen goalsOne bronze medal
One generation.Hazard. De Bruyne. Lukaku. Courtois. Kompany. Born a few years apart, all reaching their peak in the same summer.One dream.
Moscow, 23 June 2018. The eleven who start against Tunisia.
The one they were supposed to win.
Belgium had never finished higher than fourth at a World Cup. In June 2018 they were ranked third in the world, with a group of players who would not get many more summers like this one.
Russia 2018golden generation
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GBEL—PANFisht Stadium, Sochi№ 013 / 064 · keep this stub
Match1318.06.18
10E. Hazard
ArchiveBelgium · Russia 2018
BEL—18 · Sheet 01/21 · The Dream
02 — The Beginning — Twenty-three players — One manager — 02 — The Beginning — Twenty-three players — One manager — 02 — The Beginning — Twenty-three players — One manager — 02 — The Beginning — Twenty-three players — One manager — 02 — The Beginning — Twenty-three players — One manager —
02 — The Beginning
23 players.Now or neverOne manager.No excuses.
The managerRobertoMartínez
the boss
Qualifying
W9 · D1
Goals scored
43
FIFA ranking, June 2018
3rd
Best World Cup before
4th, 1986
Roberto Martínez had the squad every Belgian coach before him could only imagine, and Thierry Henry beside him on the bench. They arrived in Russia unbeaten in qualifying: nine wins, one draw, forty-three goals. The first European side to book a ticket.
The talk at home was no longer about getting out of the group. It was about what a generation owes itself when it knows it will not get many more summers like this.
BEL—18 · Sheet 02/21 · The Beginning
Sticker album — the 23 · not a line-up
10
Eden Hazard
Captain · Chelsea · 27
The armband and the ball. Everything Belgium does in the final third starts at his feet.
capt.
7
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City · 26
A league champion in May. He begins the tournament deep in midfield. He will not finish it there.
watch this one
9
Romelu Lukaku
Manchester United · 25
Already his country's all-time top scorer. Four goals in his first two matches in Russia.
4 in 2
1
Thibaut Courtois
Chelsea · 26
One metre ninety-nine. He will leave Russia with the Golden Glove.
1,99 m
4
Vincent Kompany
Manchester City · 32
Injured in the last friendly before the flight. Not ready for the opener. Back in time for the nights that matter.
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GBEL—PANFisht Stadium, Sochi№ 013 / 064 · keep this stub
Match1318.06.18
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GBEL—TUNSpartak Stadium, Moscow№ 029 / 064 · keep this stub
Match2923.06.18
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GENG—BELKaliningrad Stadium№ 045 / 064 · keep this stub
Match4528.06.18
three games →
Match 13 · 18 June 2018 Fisht Stadium, Sochi Att. 43,257
Panama
30
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GBEL—PANFisht Stadium, Sochi№ 013 / 064 · keep this stub
Match1318.06.18
3—0full time
0–0 at half-time. Nerves.
Mertens47′
Lukaku69′ · 75′
Forty-five minutes of nothing.
Against a team playing its first World Cup match. Then Mertens swings his right foot at a dropping ball on the corner of the box, and the summer begins.
Match 29 · 23 June 2018 Spartak Stadium, Moscow Att. 44,190
Tunisia
52
E. Hazard6′ pen. · 51′
Lukaku16′ · 45+3′
Batshuayi90′
Bronn · Khazri18′ · 90+3′
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GBEL—TUNSpartak Stadium, Moscow№ 029 / 064 · keep this stub
Match2923.06.18
5—2full time
qualified with a game to spare
Match 45 · 28 June 2018 Kaliningrad Stadium Att. 33,973
England
01
9 changes
Januzaj51′
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Group GENG—BELKaliningrad Stadium№ 045 / 064 · keep this stub
Match4528.06.18
0—1full time
Both sides are already through, and both rest almost everyone. Only Courtois and Boyata keep their places. Januzaj cuts in from the right and bends one into the top corner with his left foot. First place — and the harder half of the draw.
Next: Japan — Rostov-on-Don — Round of 16 — Next: Japan — Rostov-on-Don — Round of 16 — Next: Japan — Rostov-on-Don — Round of 16 — Next: Japan — Rostov-on-Don — Round of 16 — Next: Japan — Rostov-on-Don — Round of 16 —
2 July 2018 — Rostov Arena — 2 July 2018 — Rostov Arena — 2 July 2018 — Rostov Arena — 2 July 2018 — Rostov Arena — 2 July 2018 — Rostov Arena —
Japan
Round of 16 · 2 July 2018 Rostov Arena · Att. 41,466
45′
012—012
BelgiumJapan
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Round of 16BEL—JPNRostov Arena№ 054 / 064 · keep this stub
Match5402.07.18
Half-time.
Nothing in it. A quiet evening by the Don. Scroll slowly; it is the last calm minute of the night.
Haraguchi.
Shibasaki slides a pass through the left side of the Belgian defence. Haraguchi runs on and shoots across Courtois.
Inui.
Twenty-five yards out. A yard of space. Bottom corner.
four minutes.
No team had come back from two goals down to win a World Cup knockout match inside ninety minutes since 1966.
Mertens Fellaini. Carrasco Chadli.
A double change. It looks like a gamble. It is the whole story.
plan B
Vertonghen.
A half-cleared corner. A header looped from the left of the box, over Kawashima, into the far corner. Nobody is quite sure he meant it.
Fellaini.
Hazard twists on the left and crosses. Fellaini climbs above his marker. Level. Sixteen minutes to play.
Stoppage time. Honda swings Japan's corner in; Japan have thrown bodies forward for a winner. Courtois comes and catches.
02
The release
He is running before he lands. To the edge of his area — and the ball is rolled into De Bruyne's stride.
03
The carry
De Bruyne drives straight down the middle and across halfway. Japan can only back off.
04
The decoy
Lukaku cuts inside and takes his marker with him. The right flank opens. De Bruyne slides the ball into it for Meunier.
05
The dummy
Meunier crosses low, first time. Lukaku shapes to shoot — and steps over it. He never touches the ball.
06
The finish
Chadli has run the length of the pitch. At the far post, he cannot miss.
94′Chadli.impossible.
3—2
Belgium — Japan Full time
around ten seconds, box to box
BEL—18 · Sheet 07/21 · 90+4
The numbers — 90+4′
Ten seconds.Box to box
3
passes.
1Courtois
7De Bruyne
15Meunier
22Chadli
1
dummy.
0
touches for Lukaku.
the best pass he never made
BEL—18 · Sheet 08/21 · Ten Seconds
In the stands — Moscow, Kaliningrad, and the night of 2 July
Red everywhere
the 12th man
BEL—18 · Sheet 09/21 · The 12th Man
Quarter-final — Kazan Arena — 6 July 2018 — Quarter-final — Kazan Arena — 6 July 2018 — Quarter-final — Kazan Arena — 6 July 2018 — Quarter-final — Kazan Arena — 6 July 2018 — Quarter-final — Kazan Arena — 6 July 2018 —
Brazil — five-time champions — Brazil — five-time champions — Brazil — five-time champions — Brazil — five-time champions — Brazil — five-time champions —
Brazil.
Quarter-final · 6 July 2018 Kazan Arena · Att. 42,873
The nightwe believed.
five-time champions
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Quarter-finalBRA—BELKazan Arena№ 058 / 064 · keep this stub
Match5806.07.18
BEL—18 · Sheet 10/21 · Kazan
The plan
Martíneztears up theKazan, 6.07team sheet.
Team sheet — as v Japan, 2.07 amended for Kazan, 6.07
1Courtois
2Alderweireld
4Kompany
5Vertonghen
15Meunier
6Witsel
7De Bruyne false nine
11Carrasco22 Chadli
14Mertens8 Fellaini
10E. Hazard (c)
9R. Lukaku right wing
Fellaini and Chadli, the two substitutes who turned Rostov, both start. De Bruyne leaves midfield and plays as the central forward. Lukaku — a number nine all his life — goes out to the right, into the space behind Marcelo.
Thirteen minutes in, Chadli's corner, Kompany's flick, Fernandinho's arm: an own goal, and Belgium lead.
Brazil 1—2 Belgium. The five-time champions are out, and Belgium reach the last four for the first time since 1986.
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Quarter-finalBRA—BELKazan Arena№ 058 / 064 · keep this stub
Match5806.07.18
1—2full time
Page 2 — the numbers after Kazan
5
wins out of five.
14
goals.
Five of them against Japan and Brazil, in four days.
Kontich, 22:43. Back home.
two games from the trophy.
we can win this thing
BEL—18 · Sheet 13/21 · The Morning After
Semi-final — Saint Petersburg — 10 July 2018 — Semi-final — Saint Petersburg — 10 July 2018 — Semi-final — Saint Petersburg — 10 July 2018 — Semi-final — Saint Petersburg — 10 July 2018 — Semi-final — Saint Petersburg — 10 July 2018 —
France — Belgium — France — Belgium — France — Belgium — France — Belgium — France — Belgium —
06 — France · Semi-final · 10 July 2018 · Saint Petersburg Stadium · Att. 64,286
Saint PetersburgThe semi-final
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Semi-finalFRA—BELSaint Petersburg Stadium№ 061 / 064 · keep this stub
Match6110.07.18
For fifty minutes it is the most even match of the tournament. Hazard is unplayable down the left. Lloris saves from Alderweireld at full stretch.
51′
A corner from the right. Griezmann, in-swinging, to the near post. Umtiti gets in front of Fellaini.
10
one corner.Full timeFrance 1—0 Belgium
BEL—18 · Sheet 14/21 · Saint Petersburg
Soclose.
Saint Petersburg, 10.07
Belgium have the ball for the rest of the night and never find the way through. It is their first defeat in almost two years.
France 1—0 Belgium · Umtiti 51′
BEL—18 · Sheet 15/21 · So Close
Third-place play-off — 14 July 2018 — Belgium v England — Third-place play-off — 14 July 2018 — Belgium v England — Third-place play-off — 14 July 2018 — Belgium v England — Third-place play-off — 14 July 2018 — Belgium v England — Third-place play-off — 14 July 2018 — Belgium v England —
Same stadium — four days later — Same stadium — four days later — Same stadium — four days later — Same stadium — four days later — Same stadium — four days later —
07 — The Final Chapter · Third-place play-off · 14 July 2018 Saint Petersburg Stadium · Att. 64,406
The final chapterEngland, again
20
four minutes in
Meunier4′
E. Hazard82′
World Cup · Russia 2018 · Third-place play-offBEL—ENGSaint Petersburg Stadium№ 063 / 064 · keep this stub
Match6314.07.18
2—0full time
Four days after Saint Petersburg broke them, they come back to the same pitch and play as if it matters. Because it does. Chadli crosses, Meunier scores — the tenth different Belgian to score in Russia. Hazard, late, makes sure.
BEL—18 · Sheet 16/21 · The Final Chapter
3rd
Not the endingwe wanted.But a generationwe'll never forget.
the best Belgium has ever done
Third place · FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Belgium's best finish in history
BEL—18 · Sheet 17/21 · Third Place
The numbers
The whole road.Seven matches
16
goals.
More than any other team at the tournament.
10
different scorers.
Mertens · Lukaku · E. Hazard · Batshuayi · Januzaj Vertonghen · Fellaini · Chadli · De Bruyne · Meunier
6
wins out of seven.
Silver BallEden Hazard
Golden GloveThibaut Courtois
Bronze BootRomelu Lukaku
bronze. real, heavy bronze.
BEL—18 · Sheet 18/21 · The Numbers
The swap pile
Got, got, need.
10E. Hazard
7De Bruyne
9R. Lukaku
1Courtois
22Chadli
8Fellaini
15Meunier
swaps?
BEL—18 · Sheet 19/21 · Swaps
08 — The Wall — Everything that was in the box — 08 — The Wall — Everything that was in the box — 08 — The Wall — Everything that was in the box — 08 — The Wall — Everything that was in the box — 08 — The Wall — Everything that was in the box —
08 — Everything that was in the box
Belgium.2018.
merci · dank u · dankeThird placeFIFA World Cup · Russia 2018