How Belgium’s Veteran Stars Are Adapting in the Tournament

Among the four players remaining from the 2014 and 2018 squads, 34‑year‑old Thibaut Courtois has logged every minute so far, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel have seen considerably less playing time.

The 37‑year‑old central midfielder Axel Witsel, who departed relegated Girona after La Liga, appeared for just one minute at the close of the victory against the United States.

At 33, Romelu Lukaku has netted three goals despite featuring in less than half of the available minutes, frequently entering as a substitute and exploiting fatigued defenses that have been pressured by 25‑year‑old Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere.

Kevin De Bruyne, aged 35, suffered an injury during the match against Senegal; prior to his exit Belgium had secured one win from three games, but afterward the side recorded two victories and netted seven goals in about 130 minutes of action.

Full‑back Thomas Meunier, who featured in the 2018 edition but missed 2014, has also seen his playing time diminish as the competition progressed.

This does not diminish the contributions of the older contingent; Courtois continues to rank among the elite goalkeepers globally, Lukaku’s strikes have proved vital, and De Bruyne’s displays were among the team’s finest before his injury.

Nevertheless, their function within the squad is evolving; the team now leans on them to deliver decisive impacts in critical junctures rather than expecting them to dictate the overall standard of play.

So far, Garcia and Belgium appear to be managing the transition more effectively than many teams do when their star players begin to wane.

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