Belgium's Yannick Carrasco
Credit: X/@@CarrascoY21
Frankfurt, Germany: Rejuvenated Belgium hope to banish the memories of a dismal 2022 World Cup campaign fraught with issues on and off the pitch and extend a 15-match unbeaten run in their European Championship Group E opener against Slovakia on Monday.
The country’s golden generation were tarnished by a first-round exit in Qatar but, with several fresh faces in the team and some new energy, Belgium have been unbeaten since coach Domenico Tedesco took over in February last year.
They may be flying a little under the radar in Germany and no longer among the favourites in many people's eyes but if they keep cool heads in the changing room and their key players remain injury-free, then anything is possible.
Belgium have kept clean sheets in 10 of their 15 games under German-Italian coach Tedesco and have scored 33 goals themselves, with Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen the old heads among exciting young talents Jeremy Doku, Johan Bakayoko and Amadou Onana.
"The experience of Qatar has made us more mature and makes us look at a tournament differently," winger Yannick Carrasco told reporters.
"As a favourite, there is much more pressure. Being an outsider is beautiful but everyone knows we want to go as far as possible.