2018 World Cup Odds and Prediction: Belgium Team Preview
Belgium seems to have all of the pieces in place to make another run at their first World Cup title in their 14th appearance. They have superb talent all over the pitch, easily breezed through qualifying, and were set in a relatively simple path to the knockout round. Is this the year they put it all together?
2018 Belgium World Cup Odds
Odds to advance:-1000
Odds to Win World Cup: +1100
42 World Cup Wins/Best World Cup finish: Fourth (1986)
FIFA world ranking: 3
Manager: Roberto Martinez
Captain: Vincent Kompany
Belgium Players to Watch
Kevin De Bruyne – De Bruyne may be the best talent on this team – and that’s saying a lot. This team could survive losing many of their starts, but De Bruyne is the one that makes this squad go. Without him, possession just doesn’t turn into the glorious scoring chances he provides his teammates with.
Dries Mertens – The 5-foot-4, 31-year-old striker has scored 43 goals in his last 72 Serie A matches and it’s possible that Mertens comes off the bench for Belgium. Talk about depth.
Romelu Lukaku – Lukaku scored 11 of Belgium’s 43 goals in qualifying and is set at +1600 to win this year’s Golden Boot award for most goals in the tournament.
Belgium World Cup Formation and Projected Starting 11
- Formation: 3-4-2-1
- Goalkeeper: Thibaut Cortois
- Starting 11: Courtois, Vertonghen, Kompany, Alderweireld, Meunier, De Bruyne, Dembele, Carrasco, Hazard, Mertens, Lukaku.
Belgium Strengths
What doesn’t Belgium do well? They blasted through the qualifying stage by firing 43 goals and conceding just six so it’s obvious they have the ability to find the back of the net. As a team they do well in possession and do have elite talent at the majority of the positions on the pitch. When they’re on the ball and moving forward, any player on the field could score.
Belgium Weaknesses
There are some concerns about Belgium’s aging defence, especially considering that Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen are each battling injuries. Martinez isn’t known as a overly strong defensive manager to begin with and with this bunch getting up in years and not fully fit, there may be some issues at the back.
Belgium News
Right now, Vincent Kompany’s groin injury that he picked up in a pre-tournament friendly with Portugal may be the only dark cloud hovering over this team. Belgium can probably afford to let their 32-year-old skipper take his time with this one, but if he sits they’ll certainly miss his presence and leadership from the back.
Belgium Betting Prediction
It’d be an absolute catastrophe if Belgium didn’t get out of Group G and at least put a win or two together in the knockout stages. A lot will hinge on their back line. If they manage their bumps and bruises back there through group play, maybe the veteran fullbacks will be in top form by the knockout stage.
If you’re optimistic that the cards will fall in place, Belgium can win this tournament and at +1000 that’s a tasty World Cup futures bet. Look to bet the over early in the tournament and if you’re successful there, that’s a good sign for Belgian supporters. When this team is scoring, they’re awfully tough to beat. For our money, team could reach the semifinals – or better.
