​This team isn't based on sole international performance, but the best players from this nation in a balanced squad.

​
STARTING XI
REMAINING SQUAD MEMBERS
3 best players not in squad:
  • Enzo Scifo
  • ​Romelu Lukaku​
  • Erwin Vandenbergh

Belgium's best results as a nation were coming third place in the World Cup 2018, and runners-up in the 1980 European Championships, with 4 and 6 players respectively coming from these two squads.

Grun just made it as a back-up centre back ahead of the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Philippe Albert, Louis Carre and Walter Meeuws.  Victor Mees can act as the 4th centre-back option for the squad. I could have picked an extra centre-back instead of Heylens and relied on Verbiest as a back-up right-back. I read about him having a strong performance on the right against Pele's Santos, but there wasn't enough information to suggest he played there regularly. So ultimately Heylens is deserving of his spot, just ahead of Robert Paverick. The margins between Van Brandt and Swartenbroeks starting on the left were close. Jan Vertonghen was a good option here, or at centre-back. But with the strong 2 left-backs in the squad, his versatility wasn't needed.

Van Der Elst covers Victor Mees as a holding midfield option, with Rene Vandereycken just missing out here. Van Moer and Coppens are back-up to De Bruyne and Ceulemans, with the formation becoming a 4-2-3-1 if necessary. I considered starting Van Moer to give De Bruyne more freedom, but Ceulemans was too good to leave out, and De Bruyne could capably impact the game from deeper areas. I believe he and Hazard have overtaken Paul Van Himst as Belgium's greatest ever players. Vercauteren and Lemberects cover the wide areas, while Braine and Mermans can be the second and third choice strikers.

Players by Decade: 1980's (5), 1960's (4), 1950's (3), 2020's (2), 2010's (2), 1990's (2), 1940's (2), 1970's (1), 1930's (1), 1920's (1)

New Squad Entries since 2022:
  • 2025: Thibaut Courtois (Reserves > Starting XI)​

​Belgian Positional Ranking (World Class Players - 14)

​Top 20 Belgian Players of All-Time
​(& their all-time positional rank)
1     Kevin De Bruyne
2     Eden Hazard
3     Paul Van Himst
4     Thibaut Courtois
5     Jean-Marie Pfaff
​6     ​Jan Ceulemans
7     ​Michel Preud'Homme
8     Raymond Braine
8     ​Wilfried Van Moer
10   Eric Gerets
11   Vincent Kompany
​12   Jef Jurion
13   Henri Coppens
14   Jef Mermans
15   Enzo Scifo
​16   Romelu Lukaku
17   Laurent Verbiest
18   Erwin Vandenbergh
19   Bernard Voorhoof
20   Christian Piot
Gold II
Gold II
Gold III
Gold III
Gold IV
Gold IV
Gold IV
Gold IV
Gold IV
Gold V
Gold V
Gold V​
Gold V
Gold V
​Silver I
​Silver I
Silver I
​Silver I
​Silver I
Silver I
1     Kevin De Bruyne   II   ​​​18th AM
2     Eden Hazard   II   ​​​16th WNG
3     Paul Van Himst   III   ​​​35th SS
4     Thibaut Courtois   III   ​​​13th GK
5     Jean-Marie Pfaff   IV   ​​​​​18th GK
6     ​Jan Ceulemans   IV   ​​​45th AM
7     ​Michel Preud'Homme   IV   ​​​26th GK
8     Raymond Braine   IV   ​​​​55th ST
​9     Wilfried Van Moer   IV   ​​​​​48th CM
​10   Eric Gerets   V   ​​​15th RB
​11   Vincent Kompany   V   59th CB
12   Jef Jurion   V   67th AM
13   Henri Coppens   V   ​​​66th SS
14   Jef Mermans   V   ​​​​UR ST
15   Enzo Scifo   I   ​​​88th AM
16   Romelu Lukaku   I   UR ST
17   Laurent Verbiest   I   UR CB
18   Erwin Vandenbergh   I   UR ST
​19   Bernard Voorhoof   I   UR ST
20   Christian Piot   I   97th GK
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