Belgium at the FIFA World Cup

Belgium have appeared in the finals tournament of the FIFA World Cup on 13 occasions, the first being at the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 where they finished in 11th place. The inaugural FIFA World Cup final was officiated by Belgian referee John Langenus.

Belgium national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

Traditionally, Belgium's greatest rival is the Netherlands. The two countries have met each other twice in the history of the FIFA World Cup, with one win for Belgium (USA 1994) and one tie (France 1998). The team that has played the most against Belgium in the finals is the continuum USSR-Russia: five times, with three victories for Belgium and two for the Soviet Union.[1]

Belgium's best finish in the World Cup is third, at the Russia 2018 tournament. Belgium previously finished fourth in the Mexico 1986 competition.

Images of Belgium's first World Cup match in 1930, against the United States
In their golden era, Belgium featured two goalkeepers who were named the best at that position in the World Cup; Jean-Marie Pfaff (left) in 1986 and Michel Preud'homme (right) in 1994.

FIFA World Cup record

Belgian's first five appearances at the FIFA World Cup between 1930 and 1970 were not successful, as they failed to advance beyond the first round. After two scoreless defeats at the inaugural World Cup in 1930, Belgium scored their first two World Cup goals in 1934 against Germany, by virtue of Bernard Voorhoof. However, both in 1934 and 1938 the Red Devils went out with a single loss. In 1954 they held England at a tie (4–4) and in 1970 they achieved their first World Cup win, against El Salvador (3–0).

Belgium reached six successive World Cups from 1982 through 2002 by playing qualification rounds, a record bettered only by Spain whose 2018 World Cup is their ninth consecutive qualification (a streak going back to 1986). Every other nation with an equal or longer string of appearances has had the streak "interrupted" by automatic qualification as the host or the defending champion (the 2006 tournament was the first for which the defending champion does not automatically qualify). On top of that, in that era the Belgian team reached the second phase five out of six times.

Their fourth place finish in the 1986 was their best placement in their World Cup history, until 2018 when they finished third after beating England (2-0) in Saint Petersburg.

1930 FIFA World Cup

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 United States 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 4
 Paraguay 2 1 0 1 1 3 2 2
 Belgium 2 0 0 2 0 4 4 0
Source:
United States 3–0 Belgium
McGhee  23'[2]
Florie  45'[2]
Patenaude  69'[2]
Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: José Macías (Argentina)

Paraguay 1–0 Belgium
Vargas Peña  40'[2] Report
Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Attendance: 900
Referee: Ricardo Vallarino (Uruguay)

1934 FIFA World Cup

The group stage used in the first World Cup was discarded in favour of a straight knockout tournament.

* Nazi Germany5 – 2 Belgium
Kobierski  25'
Siffling  49'
Conen  66', 70', 87'
Report Voorhoof  29', 43'
Attendance: ~8,000
Referee: Francesco Mattea (Italy)

1938 FIFA World Cup

France 3–1 Belgium
Veinante  1'
Nicolas  16', 69'
Report Isemborghs  38'

1954 FIFA World Cup

According to journalist Henry Guldemont, some of his Swiss colleagues regarded the 1954 Belgian team as "favourites for the world title" after a promising 4–4 opener against England.[3][4] However, in the second and last group match against Italy, Belgium was defeated 1–4 and was unable to proceed to the finals.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 2 1 1 0 6 4 +2 3 Advance to the knockout stage
2   Switzerland 2 1 0 1 2 3 1 2[lower-alpha 1]
3  Italy 2 1 0 1 5 3 +2 2[lower-alpha 1]
4  Belgium 2 0 1 1 5 8 3 1
Source:
Notes:
  1. Second place decided over through play-off: Switzerland 4–1 Italy
England 4–4 (a.e.t.) Belgium
Broadis  26', 63'
Lofthouse  36', 91'
Report Anoul  5', 71'
Coppens  67'
Dickinson  94' (o.g.)
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Emil Schmetzer (West Germany)

Italy 4–1 Belgium
Pandolfini  41' (pen.)
Galli  48'
Frignani  58'
Lorenzi  78'
Report Anoul  81'
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Carl Erich Steiner (Austria)

1970 FIFA World Cup

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Soviet Union 3 2 1 0 6 1 +5 5[lower-alpha 1] Advance to knockout stage
2  Mexico 3 2 1 0 5 0 +5 5[lower-alpha 1]
3  Belgium 3 1 0 2 4 5 1 2
4  El Salvador 3 0 0 3 0 9 9 0
Source: FIFA
Notes:
  1. Having finished level on both points and goal difference, the Soviet Union and Mexico were separated by the drawing of lots.
Belgium 3–0 El Salvador
Van Moer  12', 54'
Lambert  76' (pen.)
Report

Soviet Union 4–1 Belgium
Byshovets  14', 63'
Asatiani  57'
Khmelnytskyi  76'
Report Lambert  86'

Mexico 1–0 Belgium
Peña  14' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 108,192
Referee: Ángel Norberto Coerezza (Argentina)

1982 FIFA World Cup

In the first game of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, held at Camp Nou, Belgium celebrated one of their most famous victories: a 0–1 win over defending champions Argentina with a goal by Erwin Vandenbergh. After pushing through to the second group stage of that tournament, Belgium was stunned by a Polish hat-trick from Zbigniew Boniek. The decisive match against the Soviet Union ended in a 0–1 loss.

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2 5 Advance to second round
2  Argentina 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 4
3  Hungary 3 1 1 1 12 6 +6 3
4  El Salvador 3 0 0 3 1 13 12 0
Source: FIFA
Argentina 0–1 Belgium
Report Vandenbergh  62'
Attendance: 95,500

Belgium 1–0 El Salvador
Coeck  19' Report
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Malcolm Moffat (Northern Ireland)

Belgium 1–1 Hungary
Czerniatynski  76' Report Varga  27'
Attendance: 37,000
Referee: Clive White (England)

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Poland 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 3 Advance to knockout stage
2  Soviet Union 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 3
3  Belgium 2 0 0 2 0 4 4 0
Source: FIFA
Poland 3–0 Belgium
Boniek  4', 26', 53' Report
Attendance: 65,000

Belgium 0–1 Soviet Union
Report Oganesian  48'
Attendance: 45,000

1986 FIFA World Cup

Four years later they achieved their best World Cup run to that point when they placed fourth at Mexico 1986. Picked up as the best third-placed team, in the knockout phase Belgium surprisingly won against favourites Soviet Union after extra time (3–4). Different from the previous World Cup, the Red Devils were able to surmount an opponents' hat-trick (this time from Igor Belanov), something that only Brazil and Austria achieved as well in World Cup history (respectively in 1938 and 1954).[5] Belgium also beat Spain on penalties after a 1–1 draw, but they conceded a 2–0 loss against eventual champions Argentina in the semifinal - both goals scored by football icon Diego Maradona. In the third-place match Belgium lost to France (4–2) after extra time. Captain and midfielder Jan Ceulemans and goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff were the first Belgian players to be selected in the All-Star Team of a World Cup. Enzo Scifo was elected as best young player of the tournament.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Mexico (H) 3 2 1 0 4 2 +2 5 Advance to knockout stage
2  Paraguay 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 4
3  Belgium 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 3
4  Iraq 3 0 0 3 1 4 3 0
Source: FIFA
(H) Host.
Belgium 12 Mexico
Vandenbergh  45' Report Quirarte  23'
Sánchez  39'

Iraq 12 Belgium
Radhi  59' Report Scifo  16'
Claesen  21' (pen.)
Attendance: 20,000

Paraguay 22 Belgium
Cabañas  50', 76' Report Vercauteren  30'
Veyt  59'

Soviet Union 34 (a.e.t.) Belgium
Belanov  27', 70', 111' (pen.) Report Scifo  56'
Ceulemans  77'
Demol  102'
Claesen  110'
Attendance: 32,277


Argentina 20 Belgium
Maradona  51', 63' Report

France 42 (a.e.t.) Belgium
Ferreri  27'
Papin  43'
Genghini  104'
Amoros  111' (pen.)
Report Ceulemans  11'
Claesen  73'
Attendance: 21,000

1990 FIFA World Cup

In the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Belgium survived the group phase by wins against South Korea and Uruguay (2–0 and 3–1). In the second round they did well against England, dominating the match by periods and with Enzo Scifo even hitting the woodwork twice.[6] With a persisting 0–0 penalties seemed unavoidable, but eventually they lost in the last minute of extra time after a "nearly blind" volley by David Platt.[7] Scifo was elected as second best player of the 1990 World Cup after Lothar Matthäus.[8]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 5 Advance to knockout stage
2  Belgium 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 4
3  Uruguay 3 1 1 1 2 3 1 3
4  South Korea 3 0 0 3 1 6 5 0
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Belgium 2–0 South Korea
Degryse  53'
De Wolf  64'
Report
Attendance: 32,790
Referee: Vincent Mauro (United States)

Belgium 3–1 Uruguay
Clijsters  16'
Scifo  22'
Ceulemans  48'
Report Bengoechea  74'

Belgium 1–2 Spain
Vervoort  28' Report Míchel  20' (pen.)
Górriz  38'

England 1–0 (a.e.t.) Belgium
Platt  119' Report

1994 FIFA World Cup

In the 1994 FIFA World Cup two 1–0 wins in round 1 against Morocco and the Netherlands were remarkably not enough to finish second, but Belgium advanced as they were among the best four third-placed teams. In the second round they lost to title defenders Germany (3–2). During this last game, the Belgians were frustrated that Swiss referee Kurt Röthlisberger had not awarded them a penalty kick when German defender Thomas Helmer brought down their striker Josip Weber in the penalty area with a bump from behind.[9] After the match, Röthlisberger was sent home. Michel Preud'homme was elected as best goalkeeper of the tournament.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Saudi Arabia 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6
3  Belgium 3 2 0 1 2 1 +1 6
4  Morocco 3 0 0 3 2 5 3 0
Source: FIFA
Belgium 1–0 Morocco
Degryse  11' Report
Attendance: 61,219

Belgium 1–0 Netherlands
Albert  65' Report
Attendance: 62,387

Belgium 0–1 Saudi Arabia
Report Al-Owairan  5'
Attendance: 52,959

Germany 3 2 Belgium
Völler  6', 40'
Klinsmann  11'
Report Grün  8'
Albert  90'

1998 FIFA World Cup

In 1998 Belgium was one of only three teams, along with hosts and eventual world champions France and Italy, not to lose a single game. Three draws in the first round – against Netherlands, Mexico and South Korea – proved not enough to reach the knockout stage. In 1998 Enzo Scifo and Franky Van der Elst appeared in their fourth World Cups, setting a Belgian record.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands 3 1 2 0 7 2 +5 5 Advance to knockout stage
2  Mexico 3 1 2 0 7 5 +2 5
3  Belgium 3 0 3 0 3 3 0 3
4  South Korea 3 0 1 2 2 9 7 1
Source: FIFA
Netherlands 0–0 Belgium
Report
Attendance: 75,000

Belgium 2–2 Mexico
Wilmots  43', 47' Report García Aspe  55' (pen.)
Blanco  62'
Attendance: 31,800

Belgium 1–1 South Korea
Nilis  7' Report Yoo Sang-Chul  71'

2002 FIFA World Cup

With two ties, the 2002 FIFA World Cup did not start well for Belgium, but the team improved during the tournament. Captain Marc Wilmots was notable for scoring in every match of the first round. Belgium won the decisive group match against Russia with 3–2 and in the second round they had to play against eventual champions Brazil. In this 1/8th final, referee Peter Prendergast disallowed a headed goal by Wilmots that would have given Belgium a 0–1 lead, after a "phantom foul" on Roque Júnior.[10] Eventually Brazil won 2–0, but Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted after this match that Belgium was a tough edge and after the tournament he declared that the match against the Red Devils had been the hardest for Brazil to win.[11] With the World Cup final still to go, the team did win the tournament's fair-play award.[12] Marc Wilmots equalled the record of Enzo Scifo and Franky Van der Elst by appearing in 4 World Cup squads, although he did not play in his first World Cup in 1990. Wilmots also scored his 5th World Cup goal against Russia, which made him Belgium's top scorer in World Cup Finals matches until the 2018 world cup when Romelu Lukaku also scored his 5th World Cup goal.[13]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan (H) 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Belgium 3 1 2 0 6 5 +1 5
3  Russia 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4  Tunisia 3 0 1 2 1 5 4 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria
(H) Host.
Japan 2–2 Belgium
Suzuki  59'
Inamoto  67'
Report Wilmots  57'
Van Der Heyden  75'
Attendance: 55,256

Tunisia 1–1 Belgium
Bouzaiene  17' Report Wilmots  13'
Attendance: 52,000

Belgium 3–2 Russia
Walem  7'
Sonck  78'
Wilmots  82'
Report Beschastnykh  52'
Sychev  88'

Brazil 2–0 Belgium
Rivaldo  67'
Ronaldo  87'
Report
Attendance: 40,440

2014 FIFA World Cup

In 2014, Belgium started as group favourites and beat all group opponents with the smallest margin. Thereafter, they played a round of 16 match against the United States in which American goalkeeper Tim Howard made 15 saves,[14][upper-alpha 1] crowning himself man of the match.[15] The Red Devils needed the extra time to proceed to the next stage (2–1), where they faced Argentina. In a balanced quarter-final against the Albiceleste, the World Cup ended for Belgium as they failed to equalize after Gonzalo Higuaín's early goal.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 3 3 0 0 4 1 +3 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Algeria 3 1 1 1 6 5 +1 4
3  Russia 3 0 2 1 2 3 1 2
4  South Korea 3 0 1 2 3 6 3 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria
Belgium 2–1 Algeria
Fellaini  70'
Mertens  80'
Report Feghouli  25' (pen.)

Belgium 1–0 Russia
Origi  88' Report

South Korea 0–1 Belgium
Report Vertonghen  78'

Belgium 2–1 (a.e.t.) United States
De Bruyne  93'
Lukaku  105'
Report Green  107'
Attendance: 51,227

Argentina 1–0 Belgium
Higuaín  8' Report

2018 FIFA World Cup

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  England 3 2 0 1 8 3 +5 6
3  Tunisia 3 1 0 2 5 8 3 3
4  Panama 3 0 0 3 2 11 9 0
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Belgium 3–0 Panama
Mertens  47'
Lukaku  69', 75'
Report
Attendance: 43,257

Belgium 5–2 Tunisia
E. Hazard  6' (pen.), 51'
Lukaku  16', 45+3'
Batshuayi  90'
Report Bronn  18'
Khazri  90+3'
Attendance: 44,190

England 0–1 Belgium
Report Januzaj  51'

Round of 16
Belgium 3–2 Japan
Vertonghen  69'
Fellaini  74'
Chadli  90+4'
Report Haraguchi  48'
Inui  52'
Attendance: 41,466

Quarter-final
Brazil 1–2 Belgium
Renato Augusto  76' Report Fernandinho  13' (o.g.)
De Bruyne  31'
Attendance: 42,873

Semi-final
France 1–0 Belgium
Umtiti  51' Report

Third place play-off
Belgium 2–0 England
Meunier  4'
E. Hazard  82'
Report

Overview

Tournaments

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place

Belgium's FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Host nation(s)
and year
Round Pos Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Outcome Pld W D L GF GA
1930 Round 1 11th of 13 2 0 0 2 0 4 Squad Qualified as invitees
1934 15th of 16 1 0 0 1 2 5 Squad 2nd of 4 2 0 1 1 6 8
1938 13th of 15 1 0 0 1 1 3 Squad 2nd of 4 2 1 1 0 4 3
1950 Withdrew[16] Withdrew
1954 Group stage 12th of 16 2 0 1 1 5 8 Squad 1st of 3 4 3 1 0 11 6
1958 Did not qualify 2nd of 3 4 2 1 1 16 11
1962 3rd of 3 4 0 0 4 3 10
1966 1st of 4, playoff loss 5 3 0 2 12 5
1970 Group stage 10th of 16 3 1 0 2 4 5 Squad 1st of 4 6 4 1 1 14 8
1974 Did not qualify 2nd of 4 6 4 2 0 12 0
1978 2nd of 4 6 3 0 3 7 6
1982 Group stage 2 10th of 24 5 2 1 2 3 5 Squad 1st of 5 8 5 1 2 12 9
1986 Fourth place 4th of 24 7 2 2* 3 12 15 Squad 2nd of 4, playoff win 8 4 2 2 9 5
1990 Round of 16 11th of 24 4 2 0 2 6 4 Squad 1st of 5 8 4 4 0 15 5
1994 11th of 24 4 2 0 2 4 4 Squad 2nd of 6 10 7 1 2 16 5
1998 Group stage 19th of 32 3 0 3 0 3 3 Squad 2nd of 5, playoff win 10 7 1 2 23 13
2002 Round of 16 14th of 32 4 1 2 1 6 7 Squad 2nd of 5, playoff win 10 7 2 1 27 6
2006 Did not qualify 4th of 6 10 3 3 4 16 11
2010 4th of 6 10 3 1 6 13 20
2014 Quarter-finals 6th of 32 5 4 0 1 6 3 Squad 1st of 6 10 8 2 0 18 4
2018 Third place 3rd of 32 7 6 0 1 16 6 Squad 1st of 6 10 9 1 0 43 6
2022 To be determined To be determined
Total Third place 13/21 48 20 9 19 68 72 Total 133 77 25 31 277 141
  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place
* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Matches

Record players

No. Name Matches World Cups
1Enzo Scifo171986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
2Jan Ceulemans161982, 1986 and 1990
3Franky van der Elst141986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
4 Eric Gerets121982, 1986 and 1990
Thibaut Courtois122014 and 2018
6 Franky Vercauteren111982 and 1986
Stéphane Demol111986 and 1990
Georges Grün111986, 1990 and 1994
Eden Hazard112014 and 2018
Dries Mertens112014 and 2018
Jan Vertonghen112014 and 2018

Goalscorers

Marc Wilmots (as trainer), Belgium's joint all-time top scorer at the World Cup
Player Goals 1930 1934 1938 1954 1970 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2014 2018
Romelu Lukaku 5 14
Marc Wilmots 5 23
Jan Ceulemans 4 31
Léopold Anoul 3 3
Nico Claesen 3 3
Eden Hazard 3 3
Enzo Scifo 3 21
Philippe Albert 2 2
Kevin De Bruyne 2 11
Marc Degryse 2 11
Marouane Fellaini 2 11
Raoul Lambert 2 2
Dries Mertens 2 11
Wilfried Van Moer 2 2
Erwin Vandenbergh 2 11
Jan Vertonghen 2 11
Bernard Voorhoof 2 2
Michy Batshuayi 1 1
Nacer Chadli 1 1
Lei Clijsters 1 1
Ludo Coeck 1 1
Henri Coppens 1 1
Alexandre Czerniatynski 1 1
Michel De Wolf 1 1
Stéphane Demol 1 1
Georges Grün 1 1
Henri Isemborghs 1 1
Adnan Januzaj 1 1
Thomas Meunier 1 1
Luc Nilis 1 1
Divock Origi 1 1
Wesley Sonck 1 1
Peter Van Der Heyden 1 1
Franky Vercauteren 1 1
Patrick Vervoort 1 1
Daniel Veyt 1 1
Johan Walem 1 1
Own goals 2 11
Total 68 021543126436616

Awards

Team

Individual

See also

Footnotes

  1. FIFA's initial match statistics showed 16 saves, and many news sources continue to use this number. The official FIFA statistics were updated on July 5, 2014 to show 15 saves.

References

  1. "Head-to-Head: Belgium v Russia". FIFA.com.
  2. This is one of several goals for which the statistical details are disputed. The goalscorers and timings used here are those of FIFA, the official record. Some other sources, such as RSSSF, state a different scorer, timing, or both. See "World Cup 1930 finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  3. Guldemont 1978, p. ?.
  4. Bilic, Pierre (3 Oct 2013). "de Rode Duivels in het collectieve geheugen". Sport/Voetbalmagazine. Roeselare: Roularta Media Group NV.
  5. "Classic football - matches". FIFA. 26 Aug 2012.
  6. Edworthy 1997, pp. 138-139.
  7. Witzig 2006, p. 167.
  8. "Scifo: I wouldn't change a thing". FIFA News. 14 Sep 2009.
  9. Lisi 2011, p. 263.
  10. Witzig 2006, p. 289.
  11. "Scolari praises team effort". BBC Sport. 17 Jun 2002.
  12. "Belgium honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award". FIFA News. 29 Jun 2002.
  13. "Belgium at the World Cups - Goalscorers at World Cups". thefifaworldcups.com. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  14. "Official FIFA statistics, updated July 5, 2014" (PDF). July 5, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 1, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  15. "World Cup 2014: Tim Howard makes record number of saves". BBC Sport. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  16. Lisi 2007, p. 47.

Bibliography

  • Edworthy, Niall (1997). England: The Official F.A. History. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-699-1.
  • Guldemont, Henry (1978). Toute L'Histoire du Football Belge (in French). Brussels: Editions Arts & Voyages. ISBN 2801600121.
  • Lisi, Clemente Angelo (2011). A History of the World Cup: 1930–2010. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-08-108-7753-5.
  • Witzig, Richard (2006). The Global Art of Soccer. Harahan: CusiBoy Publishing. ISBN 0-9776688-0-0.
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