In the end, all Roberto Martinez could do at the Allianz Arena was look into the distance. Italy, a blossoming team with unmatched class and, in the dying minutes, old-fashioned trickery, had knocked Belgium’s golden generation out of the tournament. In the process, there was a lot of introspection and even a few fingerings for the Belgians. Should Martinez have replaced the invisible Thomas Meunier with Yannick Carrasco instead of Nasser Chadli, limped out after 60 seconds? Should we give Christian Benteke a chance?

But amid all the analysis, condemnation and disappointment, one sentiment prevailed – at that point, that heartbreaking elimination looked like the end of Belgium’s Golden Generation, a group of talented players who grew up together and played. in football for extended periods, but never won. a major price.

In 2000, after being knocked out in the first round of the European Championship at home, Belgium revamped their football model, moving away from the blue-collar style they had played for decades. It has been replaced by a philosophy based on 4-3-3 training down to youth teams and emphasizing individual skills. Belgium have produced a new type of player: sexy, modern and highly skilled – not on an industrial scale like neighbors France and Germany given their size, but enough to train generational talents like Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne .

Over the past decade, Belgium’s results have steadily improved: a quarter-final at the 2014 World Cup, and a quarter-final at Euro 2016, followed by a semi-final and a bronze medal at the 2018 World Cup.

After the last European Championship and this missed opportunity against Wales, Martinez took over from Marc Wilmots. The Spaniard arrived with the bold promise that Belgium could win the World Cup. He almost gave birth in Russia. Martinez improved the squad, with all players in tune with his offensive formation in 3-4-3, resulting in a wonderful 3-2 comeback against Japan and a Game of the Ages against Brazil.

And so, Euro 2020 had to be Belgium’s moment, a crowning achievement for a delightful generation, but the group stage was slow and the team never really convinced. Then in the round of 16, Belgium showed cold and calculated football, on the model of France 2018. It was enough to push Portugal without ever excelling. The team played in a low block, a way of protecting the aging defense and having to cover the space behind a high line. The result was lean and economical football, based on deep defense and quick transitions.

But Italy discovered Belgium. The Mancini team was modern and diligent ajgoose to live. After the national anthems, Italy already had a goal in advance. When it mattered most, Belgium seemed to be invaded by a “mixed race complex”, a sense of collective inferiority or a lack of confidence in its own qualities. Of course, extenuating circumstances counted: De Bruyne was out of shape and Hazard was watching from the bench. Martinez needed all of his best players to peak at the right time, and that just didn’t happen.

So what is the heritage of this Belgian team? At the World Cup, the team got excited; this tournament ended in a stall with counter-intuitive football.

The Belgians will need to renew themselves, on the occasion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Nine outfielders on the team were over thirty. In defense, Thomas Vermaelen is 35, but the conveyor belt of Belgian talent production is rolling: Youri Tielemans can become a leader, even though the Leicester City midfielder has again proven to be a lightweight at Euro 2020. And teenager Jeremy Doku has the world at his feet. He danced and danced at will in front of the Italian defenders. So the future is still bright, but this current generation – the golden generation – is running out of steam. Of course, De Bruyne and co will always have Kazan.