|
BELGIUM
Best finals record: Runners-up 1980
Qualification record:
Qualified as co-hosts
|
Lorenzo Staelens
|
Coach: Robert Waseige
Squad: Ronny Gaspercic, Geert De Vlieger, Filip De Wilde,
Eric Deflandre, Eric Van Meir, Lorenzo Staelens, Jacky Peeters, Joos Valgaeren, Philippe Leonard,
Marc Hendrikx, Nico Van Kerckhoven, Marc Wilmots, Phillippe Clement, Gert Verheyen, Bart Goor, Yves Vanderhaeghe, Johan Walem, Danny Boffin,
Luc Nilis, Emile Mpenza, Branko Strupar, Gilles De Bilde, Mbo Mpenza, Toni Brogno.
Prospects
Co-hosts Belgium will kick off Euro 2000 when they play Sweden in Brussels on June 10.
Belgium were finalists in 1980 and reached the World Cup semi-finals in 1986 but since the halcyon days of Jan Ceulemans, Eric Gerets et al they have struggled on the international stage.
This is the first time the Red Devils have featured in the finals since 1984 and they were heavily criticised after their performance in the last World Cup when they drew all three first round games, and failed to qualify for the later stages.
Morale was at a low ebb with several players, including Luc Nilis and Enzo Scifo, quitting the national team because of disagreements with coach George Leekens.
And in a dismal 11 match run following France 98, Belgium won just twice.
That span included a goalless draw with tiny Luxembourg and
embarrassing home defeats to Egypt and Finland.
After the latter defeat Leekens was sacked and Robert Waseige was appointed just 294 days before the start of Euro 2000.
And the arrival of the country's first Walloon coach has seen an upturn in the national side's fortunes.
The coach is a firm believer of the 4-4-2 system with veteran skipper Lorenzo Staelens operating in the centre of defence.
The experienced Marc Wilmots and unglamorous Excelsior Mouscron midfielder Yves Vanderhaeghe is the favoured pairing at the heart of midfield.
While up front during Nilis' self-imposed exile, naturalised Croat Branko Strupar has established himself as the first-choice striker.
Nico van Kerckhoven and Bart Goor are forming an understanding down the left-hand side but most other places
in the side up for grabs.
The Red Devils have used over 60 players in the last two years and are still searching for the formula that can take them to the pinnacle of the world game.