Belgium. Francky Vercauteren: "A fantastic Belgian generation that earns nothing" 

The French team is back tonight with Belgium in the semi-finals of the League of Nations. Like the Blues, the Red Devils come out of a disappointing Euro. Eliminated in the quarter-finals by Italy (1-2), the winner of the event, they still missed the opportunity to open their record. Former coach and FC Nantes player Francky Vercauteren talks about the disappointed hopes of the golden generation.

Belgium has a foothold in Qatar and could even snatch their ticket to the 2022 World Cup this week, without playing but taking advantage of the results of their opponents. Leader of her group (16 points out of 18), she ended September with three victories. A lesser evil for Francky Vercauteren, for whom the summer rebound does not mitigate the disappointment generated by the Euro and does not stifle growing skepticism.

The former Belgium coach (2009, five matches) saw the emergence of the golden generation (Vermaelen, Vertonghen, E. Hazard, Witsel) under his orders. In Genk, with whom he was Belgian champion in 2001, he launched Thibaut Courtois and witnessed the emergence of Kévin De Bruyne. More recently, in Anderlecht (2019-2020), he led a certain Jérémy Doku, absent from the rally. The ideal interlocutor to evoke this France - Belgium, he who also knew a certain Didier Deschamps at FC Nantes (1987 - 1990).

Has Belgium digested the failure of the Euro?

I do not believe. Before there were already some negative comments, some criticism, but it was light. After the Euro, there was a turnaround. This team had raised hope and gained the confidence of the country, but we did not win any titles. Since the defeat against Italy and a rightly elimination, everything has increased but in the wrong direction. They are a fantastic generation, but they are not winning anything. We were eliminated against Wales at Euro 2016, we miss the moment that we should not at the 2028 World Cup against France. This accumulation has changed the outlook on the selection.

You talk about a good game, but we still have the feeling that Belgium lost its DNA during the Euro, that it played against nature…

A team always has starting intentions. But there is a difference between wanting and being able. I think they just weren't able, at that point, to play the football that everyone was hoping for, to exploit the full potential of this team, even though Hazard and De Bruyne came in diminished.

In terms of results, Belgium has practically its ticket for Qatar. We have the feeling that she bounced back after the Euro

We must remain correct and realistic. We can be happy to have achieved three successes in September, but the qualifying group is not very strong. With Belgium's potential and individual talents, this is more than enough to make the difference. We did what we had to do and it makes perfect sense given our potential. In the League of Nations, it will probably be something else.

"The League of Nations is not the title we expect"

There is still great impatience around the selection?

More and more. A title is missing, but not just any one. We did not have the World Cup, nor the Euro. We can have the League of Nations, but it's not the same thing. This is not the title we expect.

Is the 2022 World Cup the last opportunity for this generation?

Yes, if we take all of this generation. But I don't think so because Martinez is very keen on the same selection.

Is the post 2022 being prepared now too?

In part only. During the last matches, we saw that he trusted the boys he has called for years. Some could be questioned, but he takes them again without discussing and that raises questions. He has integrated new players well, but they are few and have yet to find their place. Moreover, they have not yet eliminated the incumbents.

Doku is one of them. Can he embody the next generation of Belgian football?

He is called to become an important player in the selection, who can make the difference, but he still has a lot of work to do. For him, everything was very, very fast. It is clear that he is a football hope, that he has a lot of potential, but it is not easy to take over from a Hazard.

"The change has not been initiated"

Can we say that Belgium is in a period of transition?

No because she did not start it. The starting XI remains the same, with one exception perhaps. And even. We saw it at the Euro. Hazard played, De Bruyne too. Even Meertens, if he comes back from his injury, he will still pass some young people knocking on the door. We do not have the impression of having initiated change.

Isn't Belgium's problem today its aging defense?

Replacing Kompany, Vertonghen or Vermaelen is not easy. The defense can be a victim of what is happening in front of them. It can't just be his responsibility. It is collective.

Lukaku never ceases to impress. We have the feeling that he is no longer the same player as when he first started out.

He could have waste, or experience absences at certain times of a match. He's now become a complete player, able to play in a lot of different situations, close to goal, far from goal. He increased his potential.

Thierry Henry intervenes with the attackers of the selection. How do we perceive its role in Belgium?

To give an opinion on its impact on the players, you really have to live in the group. The players say it is important. In general, the reviews are positive.

What is the difference with your generation, semi-finalist of the World 86 and other golden generation?

Before, we practically all played in Belgium. There was a core of clubs like Anderlecht, Standard or Brugge, which fed the selection. We found teammates with whom we had automatisms in the game, but also with whom we shared habits. I think we had less pure talent, but there were a lot of leaders, with a very good spirit and character. On a collective level, it was more homogeneous.

You also played with Didier Deschamps in Nantes, whom you saw start. Is it the same person you see today at the head of the Blues?

I don't think that a person changes, but that they evolve. We get older, we gain experience and we become better. It has become better, but we could perceive facets present today. It does not surprise me. He took all the steps and it did not fall from the sky. In football, there are some who talk a lot, but who do little. He has always done a lot. Very young, he was already very present in the team.