These are scary times for the Belgian football fan. Not only are we on the eve of a World Cup that is considered by many to be the last chance to reap with the 'Golden Generation'; that golden generation has performed quite erratically in recent months. Will Belgium finally get what it has been longing for in this 2022 World Cup? Or will the last chance become a new and ultimate disappointment? Let's take a look at the group stage the Red Devils have to survive in this World Cup.
Belgium is considered to have one of the smallest margins as a group favorite (and thus to proceed in the tournament). This has everything to do with the stiff competition in Group F. Croatia always performs well at these types of tournaments, Morocco did remarkably well at the recent Africa Cup and Canada topped the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) qualification table. Neither of these teams is expected to lay out the red carpet for the Red Devils.
Of course, that doesn't mean World Cup bets with the Belgians as favorites wouldn't be a good choice. It is still a strong team having some of the most dangerous players out there in its ranks, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, to name just two of them. So Belgium may definitely claim their spot among the other group favourites. The 'Golden Generation' of Belgium has been waiting to cash in on the talent for a while now; for some of them, this will be the last major tournament. Four years ago, they stranded in third place, two years later they were eliminated by Italy in the quarterfinals of Euro 2020. Quite the track record to incite feelings of vengefulness! For these Red Devils, the 2022 World Cup is more than 'a' chance for rehabilitation; it's the last chance to win a prize with this exceptionally talented group.
Also worth noticing when betting on the Red Devils this 2022 World Cup, especially in the group stage: Although Belgium has not yet managed to get a final trophy at a major tournament, the Red Devils have never had any problems reaching the knockout stage in recent participations. They are by far the most talented team in this group and despite the fact that the other teams also have top players in their ranks, Belgium's overall level remains superior.
Croatia was without a doubt the surprise of the 2018 World Cup. Many neutral football fans consider their honorable loss in the World Cup final on itself to be enough reason to allow them to participate in this tournament. Their tournament in 2018 had it all: suspense, heroism and satisfaction. Thanks to three consecutive wins in extra time, they even made it to the final. It could become a problem though that Ivan Rakitic no longer reigns his midfield and Luka Modric; the general of Real Madrid, is already 37 years old.
Morocco was in a difficult group in 2018, but they still managed to steal a point from Spain, after which it ended up in the inevitable last place. It is therefore not possible to draw too many conclusions here. In addition, football evolves fast! And while Morocco doesn't have big names like some other teams do, they do have quite a few players who are important to their respective teams. Just think of Achraf Hakimi and Romain Saiss on the back lines or Youssef En-Nesyri and Munir El Haddadi in the front. Just like four years ago, the Moroccans will have no walk in the park, but they certainly won’t give up without a fight. An interesting underdog.
The same goes for Canada, which is participating in the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and only entering this highest level for the second time ever. On paper, Canada is logically behind Belgium and Croatia, but football is played on the pitch after all. With guys like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, the Canadians can give any team quite a hard time. Their recent track record speaks volumes in that regard. Canada recently beat both Mexico and the United States. A telling warning to the other group members.
As an experienced bookmaker, we would like to give you an important tip: follow Belgium's match against Canada on November 23 in the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan!
This opening game will provide loads of important information about the two teams most likely to make it through. Is Belgium ready to cycle through this group devastatingly? Or will Canada put up a fight, showing that they, too, can really rise above themselves on an international stage? There is a chance that this result will ultimately not matter for Canada (or for Belgium of course), it is an opening match after all. Still, it would certainly be positive for Canada if they don't lose by more than three goals. Because Belgium, after two defeats against their northern neighbor Netherlands and a lot of doubts about Eden Hazard, is currently raising many question marks, this will be a game that will clarify a lot for the recreational football gambler.
If the Belgians still had the most dangerous offensive player with Eden Hazard in 2018, this is now somewhat different. Hazard barely gets to play in Madrid due to injuries and underperformance. National coach Martinez continues to believe in him, but the grumbling about that choice is starting to flare up. Is there no one to replace Hazard? Yes. Anyone who has followed the Premier League in recent years/months knows that another Belgian star has risen. Leandro Trossard is one of the main reasons Brighton is currently performing, wel… above expectations. A hat-trick in a Premier League game? That is quite a thing! What Hazard no longer (or too little) seems to dare: really pass opponents using his individual class, Trossard does several times every week. Could it be that the 'Golden Generation' is not disappearing, but simply rejuvenating? Every Belgian football fan surely hopes so!
However: Belgium will undoubtedly take an exciting route this World Cup. As a Belgian football and gambling enthusiast, you want the best chances of winning and enjoying your sport bettings. Check out Ladbrokes for plenty of great options. We already are the world champions in terms of pure gaming fun and winning opportunities, as well as security, privacy and transparency. And who benefits most of this? Indeed…