Belgium national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Belgium

Nickname(s)	De Rode Duivels Les Diables rouges Die Roten Teufel (The Red Devils)
Association	Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Rudi Garcia
Captain	Kevin De Bruyne
Most caps	Jan Vertonghen (157)
Top scorer	Romelu Lukaku (89)
Home stadium	King Baudouin Stadium
FIFA code	BEL
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	1 (7 February 2019)
Highest	1 (November 2015 – March 2016, September 2018 – March 2022)
Lowest	71 (June 2007)
Elo ranking
Current	3 5 (3 March 2019)
Highest	1 (16 November 2019 – 10 October 2020)
Lowest	70 (14 October 2009, 7 September 2010)
First international
Belgium 3–3 France  (Uccle, Belgium; 1 May 1904)
Biggest win
Belgium 9–0 Zambia  (Brussels, Belgium; 4 June 1994)  Belgium 10–1 San Marino  (Brussels, Belgium; 28 February 2001)  Belgium 9–0 Gibraltar  (Liège, Belgium; 31 August 2017)  Belgium 9–0 San Marino  (Brussels, Belgium; 10 October 2019)
Biggest defeat
England Amateurs 11–2 Belgium  (London, England; 17 April 1909)
World Cup
Appearances	14 (first in 1930)
Best result	3rd (2018)
European Championship
Appearances	7 (first in 1972)
Best result	2nd (1980)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (2021)
Best result	4th (2021)
Olympic Games
Appearances	5 (first in 1900)
Best result	1st (1920)
Medal record Men's football FIFA World Cup Bronze 2018 Russia Team UEFA European Championship Silver 1980 Italy Team Bronze 1972 Belgium Team Olympic Games Gold 1920 Antwerp Team Bronze 1900 Paris Team
Website	rbfa.be

The Belgium national football team represents Belgium in men's international football games. They have played since 1904. The team is managed by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA). This group helped start both FIFA and UEFA.

Belgium has often played in big international tournaments. They have been in 14 FIFA World Cups and 6 UEFA European Championships. They also played in 3 Olympic football tournaments, winning gold in 1920. The team is known as the Red Devils since 1906. Their fan club is called "1895".

The team finished third when they hosted UEFA Euro 1972. They had two "golden generations" of players. The first was from the 1980s to early 1990s. During this time, they were runners-up at UEFA Euro 1980 and fourth in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The second golden generation started in the 2010s. They reached the top of the FIFA World Ranking in 2015. They also finished third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Belgium is the only team to be ranked number one by FIFA without winning a World Cup or a big continental trophy.

Team History

How Belgian Football Started

Belgium was one of the first countries in mainland Europe to play football. The game was first played there in 1863.

On May 1, 1904, Belgium played its first official match against France. The game ended in a draw. Twenty days later, Belgium helped create FIFA. From 1905, Belgium played against the Netherlands twice a year. These games were known as the "Low Countries derby".

In 1906, the team got its nickname, Red Devils. This was because of their red jerseys. In 1910, William Maxwell became their manager.

Olympic Gold and World Cup Challenges

At the 1920 Summer Olympics, the Red Devils won the gold medal at home. This happened after their opponents, Czechoslovakia, left the field in a controversial final. In the 1920s, they played their first game against a team from another continent, Argentina.

However, in the next ten years, Belgium lost all their games at the first three FIFA World Cups. They were not as strong as teams from other parts of the world. Belgium only qualified for one major tournament in the 1950s and 1960s. This was the 1954 World Cup. They drew with England but lost to Italy. They were then out of the tournament.

Despite this, Belgium had some big wins in friendly games. They beat West Germany in 1954 and Brazil in 1963. They also beat Hungary's famous Golden Team in 1956. Because of their success in friendly games but not in big tournaments, they were sometimes called "world champions of the friendlies".

The team got better in the early 1970s under manager Raymond Goethals. They wore all-white uniforms and were called the White Devils. They won their first World Cup match in 1970. They also made their debut at the Euros in 1972, finishing third. In 1973, they missed out on the 1974 World Cup even though they didn't let in any goals during the qualifiers.

First Golden Age

The 1980s and early 1990s are seen as Belgium's first golden age. They finished second at UEFA Euro 1980. In the final, they lost to West Germany 1–2.

From the 1982 World Cup to the 2002 World Cup, Belgium qualified for six World Cups in a row. They made it past the first round five times. At the 1986 World Cup, they reached the semi-finals. They beat the Soviet Union and Spain. However, they lost to Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, who scored both goals.

After Euro 1980, they didn't do as well in later European Championships. They were out early in 1984 and 2000. Before the 2002 World Cup, Belgium beat the reigning world and European champions, France. In that World Cup, Belgium beat Russia and drew with Japan and Tunisia. They reached the round of 16 but lost to eventual champions Brazil. Brazil's coach said that game was their toughest of the tournament.

After 2002, the team struggled. They missed five major tournaments in a row from UEFA Euro 2004 to UEFA Euro 2012. A new generation of young players started to emerge. Many of them played in the 2007 European U-21 Championship. This team qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, finishing fourth.

Second Golden Age

Under manager Marc Wilmots, the team's results got much better. Many people called this a new "golden generation". The young Belgian team qualified for the 2014 World Cup without losing a game. They reached the quarter-finals, winning four matches in a row.

Belgium qualified for UEFA Euro 2016 in October 2015. In November 2015, they became the number one team in the FIFA World Ranking for the first time. They stayed there for five months. At the Euros, they lost to Wales in the quarter-finals.

For the 2018 World Cup, Belgium qualified under Spanish manager Roberto Martínez. They were the first European team to qualify besides the hosts, Russia. At the World Cup, Belgium won all their group games against Panama, Tunisia, and England. In the round of 16, they came back from 2–0 down to beat Japan 3–2. They then beat Brazil 2–1 in the quarter-finals. They lost to eventual champions France 0–1 in the semi-finals. However, they won the third-place play-off against England. This was Belgium's best World Cup result ever.

In November 2019, the team topped the World Football Elo Ratings for the first time. This happened after a 4–1 win against Russia in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

At UEFA Euro 2020, Belgium won all three group games. In the knockout phase, they beat Portugal 1–0. But they lost to Italy 1–2 in the quarter-finals.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Belgium started with a 1–0 win over Canada. However, they then lost 2–0 to Morocco and drew 0–0 with Croatia. This meant they were knocked out in the group stage, which had not happened since 1998. After this, Roberto Martínez stepped down as coach.

In February 2023, Domenico Tedesco became the new head coach. At UEFA Euro 2024, Belgium lost 1–0 to France in the round of 16.

Team Look and Feel

Team Kits

For home games, the team usually wears the colors of the Belgian flag: black, yellow, and red. Red is the main color of the jersey. Away kits are usually white or black. In 2014, they added a third yellow kit. Since 1981, the team's badge has been the RBFA emblem. Before that, it was a yellow lion on a black shield. In 2019, the Royal Belgian Football Association showed a new logo. It kept the crown, wreath, and Belgian colors.

For their first unofficial game in 1901, the team wore white jerseys with colored bands. Since 1904, their classic all-red jersey has changed twice. In 1904–05, they briefly wore satin shirts with red, yellow, and black stripes. In the 1970s, manager Raymond Goethals chose an all-white kit. This was to help players be seen better during evening games.

Adidas has been the official kit supplier since 2014. They also supplied kits from 1974 to 1980 and from 1982 to 1991. Other past suppliers include Umbro, Admiral, Diadora, Nike, and Burrda.

Kit supplier	Period
Umbro	Early 1970s
Adidas	1974–1981
Admiral	1981–1982
Adidas	1982–1991
Diadora	1992–1999
Nike	1999–2010
Burrda	2010–2014
Adidas	2014–present

Media Coverage

The first live broadcast of a Belgian sports event was on May 3, 1931. Journalist Gust De Muynck reported on a football match between Belgium and the Netherlands on the radio. Later, football games were also shown on TV. Since 1994, private TV channels have also bought rights to broadcast games.

The Euro 2016 match against Hungary was the most-watched TV show in Belgian history. Over 4 million people watched it.

In 2014, a documentary called Iedereen Duivel (Everybody Devil) was made. It showed behind-the-scenes moments of the national team during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Another documentary, Rode Helden (Red Heroes), focused on individual players.

Team Activities and Charity

In the 2010s, many events were held for fans. These included "Devil Challenges" during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Fans completed tasks to get favors from players. The first Fan Day in June 2013 brought over 20,000 supporters. "Dance with the Devils" events were held during the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.

The team has also supported charity. Between 1914 and 1941, they played at least five unofficial games to raise money for good causes. In 1986, the team donated part of their World Cup bonuses to Casa Hogar. This is a home for street children in Mexico. In 2013, the team supported four social projects through the Football+ Foundation.

Players have also spoken out against discrimination. In 2002, the team had its first anti-racism campaign. In 2010, a Euro 2012 qualifier focused on respecting diversity. In 2018, four players made a video against violence towards LGBT people.

Nickname, Logo, and Mascot

After a 1905 match, a Dutch reporter called three Belgian players "devils". A year later, a manager named Pierre Walckiers nicknamed them the Red Devils. This was because of their red jerseys and three wins in a row. When they wore white shirts in the 1970s, they were called the White Devils.

Since 2012, the team's logo is a red trident, which is often linked to devils. The team has also had four official mascots. The first was a lion named Diabolix. Later mascots included a red super-devil and two modern devils made by fans. The one from 2018 was named "Red".

Team Supporters

Fans of the Belgian national team often show the country's red, yellow, and black flag. In 2012, local fan clubs joined to form "1895". This name comes from the year the RBFA was founded. By 2013, "1895" had 24,000 members. Even the Belgian royal family has attended matches since 1914.

One of the greatest moments for the fans was in 1986. When the team returned home after reaching the World Cup semi-finals, the Grand Place square in Brussels was full of cheering fans. They celebrated as if the team had won the whole tournament.

After the 2002 World Cup, the team's popularity dropped. But it grew again when many Belgian players started playing in top leagues abroad. Also, good results under Marc Wilmots made fans excited. For the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Manneken Pis statue wore a Belgian uniform. Parts of the Atomium were also covered in black, yellow, and red.

Team Rivalries

Belgium's main football rivals are its neighbors, the Netherlands and France.

Netherlands

The games between Belgium and the Netherlands are called the Low Countries derby. As of May 2018, they have played 126 official matches. Belgium won the first four unofficial games. But they lost their first official game recognized by FIFA. The two teams played each other twice a year from 1905 to 1964, except during the World Wars. They have met 18 times in major tournaments. The Netherlands has won more games, with 55 wins compared to Belgium's 41.

France

The matches between Belgium and France are called le Match Sympathique ("the Friendly Match"). As of September 2020, they have played 74 official matches. The first game between them in 1904 was the first official football match between independent European countries. Until 1967, they played almost every year. Belgium has a better record, with 30 wins to France's 25. France has played against Belgium more often than any other country.

Home Stadium

Many different places in Belgium have hosted the team's home games. Most of these games have been played in Brussels at the King Baudouin Stadium. This stadium can hold 50,122 people. It is also where the team practices before home games. Since 2007, most training happens at the National Football Centre in Tubize. The King Baudouin Stadium has also hosted six European Championship matches.

The stadium opened in 1930 as the Jubilee Stadium. It could hold 75,000 people. In 1946, it was renamed Heysel Stadium. This name became linked to a sad event in 1985. During a football final, 39 fans died after riots in the old building. After two years of work, the stadium was modernized in 1995. It was then named after the late King Baudouin. Plans to replace the stadium were cancelled in 2018.

Recent Games and Schedule

As of June 9, 2025, the Belgian national team has played 852 official matches. They have won 376, drawn 179, and lost 297. They have scored 1,525 goals and let in 1,323 goals. Belgium's biggest win was by nine goals, which happened four times. Their longest winning streak is 12 wins. Their longest unbeaten run is 23 games.

Here are the results from the last year and upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2025 Matches

Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Rudi Garcia
Assistant coaches	Stéphane Jobard
Goalkeeper coach	Andy Fairman
Physical coaches	Bram Gielen
Team manager	Piet Erauw
Assistant technical director	Jelle Schelstraete
Nutritionist	Janne Geers
Performance analysts	Dylan Vanhaeren Maxim Wouters
Team doctors	Kristof Sas Geert Declercq
Physiotherapists	James Van Gemert Gertjan Jespers Sander Nuyens Thomas O'Malley

Coaching History

Since 1904, 26 permanent managers and two temporary managers have led the national team. As of January 2025, Rudi Garcia is the head coach. Under Marc Wilmots, Belgium reached the top FIFA ranking in 2015. This earned him the Best Coach of the Year award. Guy Thys was named Manager of the Year in 1986. Under Spanish coach Roberto Martínez, the team finished third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Belgian managers have mostly used traditional football tactics. In the 1930s, the team played in a 2–3–5 "pyramid" formation. In 1954, they used a 3–2–5 "WM" setup. For most tournaments in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, they played in a 4–4–2 formation. A key strength of the team has been their use of the offside trap. This defensive tactic was used a lot by coach Raymond Goethals.

At the 1998 World Cup, Georges Leekens chose a 4–3–3 formation. Robert Waseige always stuck to his 4–4–2 system. Wilmots also preferred the 4–3–3 formation.

Team Players

Current Squad

On May 19, 2025, these 26 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying games. These matches were against North Macedonia and Wales on June 6 and 9, 2025. On June 1, 2025, Thibaut Courtois was replaced by Nordin Jackers due to injury.

Information is correct as of June 9, 2025, after the match against Wales.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Maarten Vandevoordt	(2002-02-26) 26 February 2002 (age 23)	0	0	RB Leipzig
12	1GK	Senne Lammens	(2002-07-07) 7 July 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Antwerp
13	1GK	Matz Sels	(1992-02-26) 26 February 1992 (age 33)	11	0	Nottingham Forest
	1GK	Nordin Jackers	(1997-09-05) 5 September 1997 (age 27)	0	0	Club Brugge
2	2DF	Zeno Debast	(2003-10-24) 24 October 2003 (age 21)	20	0	Sporting CP
3	2DF	Arthur Theate	(2000-05-25) 25 May 2000 (age 25)	25	0	Eintracht Frankfurt
4	2DF	Wout Faes	(1998-04-03) 3 April 1998 (age 27)	28	0	Leicester City
5	2DF	Maxim De Cuyper	(2000-12-22) 22 December 2000 (age 24)	10	3	Brighton & Hove Albion
15	2DF	Thomas Meunier	(1991-09-12) 12 September 1991 (age 33)	71	8	Lille
16	2DF	Koni De Winter	(2002-06-12) 12 June 2002 (age 23)	4	0	Genoa
18	2DF	Brandon Mechele	(1993-01-28) 28 January 1993 (age 32)	4	0	Club Brugge
19	2DF	Diego Moreira	(2004-08-06) 6 August 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Strasbourg
6	3MF	Amadou Onana	(2001-08-16) 16 August 2001 (age 23)	22	0	Aston Villa
7	3MF	Kevin De Bruyne (captain)	(1991-06-28) 28 June 1991 (age 34)	111	31	Napoli
8	3MF	Youri Tielemans	(1997-05-07) 7 May 1997 (age 28)	77	10	Aston Villa
17	3MF	Charles De Ketelaere	(2001-03-10) 10 March 2001 (age 24)	21	2	Atalanta
20	3MF	Hans Vanaken	(1992-08-24) 24 August 1992 (age 32)	26	5	Club Brugge
21	3MF	Nicolas Raskin	(2001-02-23) 23 February 2001 (age 24)	4	0	Rangers
23	3MF	Alexis Saelemaekers	(1999-06-27) 27 June 1999 (age 26)	16	1	Roma
	3MF	Malick Fofana	(2005-03-31) 31 March 2005 (age 20)	1	0	Lyon
	3MF	Jorthy Mokio	(2008-02-29) 29 February 2008 (age 17)	1	0	Ajax
9	4FW	Loïs Openda	(2000-02-16) 16 February 2000 (age 25)	27	3	RB Leipzig
10	4FW	Romelu Lukaku (vice-captain)	(1993-05-13) 13 May 1993 (age 32)	124	89	Napoli
11	4FW	Leandro Trossard	(1994-12-04) 4 December 1994 (age 30)	44	10	Arsenal
14	4FW	Dodi Lukebakio	(1997-09-24) 24 September 1997 (age 27)	26	2	Sevilla
22	4FW	Jérémy Doku	(2002-05-27) 27 May 2002 (age 23)	33	3	Manchester City

Recent Call-ups

These players were part of the national team in the last year but are not in the current squad.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Thibaut Courtois	(1992-05-11) 11 May 1992 (age 33)	103	0	Real Madrid	v.  Macedonia, 6 June 2025 INJ
GK	Koen Casteels	(1992-06-25) 25 June 1992 (age 33)	20	0	Al-Qadsiah	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024 RET
GK	Ortwin De Wolf	(1997-04-23) 23 April 1997 (age 28)	0	0	Mechelen	v.  France, 14 October 2024
GK	Thomas Kaminski	(1992-10-23) 23 October 1992 (age 32)	1	0	Charlton Athletic	v.  France, 9 September 2024
DF	Timothy Castagne	(1995-12-05) 5 December 1995 (age 29)	54	2	Fulham	v.  Ukraine, 23 March 2025
DF	Ameen Al-Dakhil	(2002-03-06) 6 March 2002 (age 23)	6	0	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Ukraine, 23 March 2025
DF	Killian Sardella	(2002-05-02) 2 May 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Anderlecht	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
DF	Matte Smets	(2004-01-04) 4 January 2004 (age 21)	1	0	Genk	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
DF	Joaquin Seys	(2005-03-28) 28 March 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Club Brugge	v.  Italy, 14 November 2024 INJ
DF	Sebastiaan Bornauw	(1999-03-22) 22 March 1999 (age 26)	4	0	VfL Wolfsburg	v.  France, 14 October 2024
MF	Bryan Heynen	(1997-02-06) 6 February 1997 (age 28)	1	0	Genk	v.  Ukraine, 23 March 2025
MF	Orel Mangala	(1998-03-18) 18 March 1998 (age 27)	23	0	Everton	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
MF	Arthur Vermeeren	(2005-02-07) 7 February 2005 (age 20)	6	0	RB Leipzig	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
MF	Arne Engels	(2003-09-08) 8 September 2003 (age 21)	4	0	Celtic	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
MF	Albert Sambi Lokonga	(1999-10-22) 22 October 1999 (age 25)	2	0	Sevilla	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
MF	Roméo Lavia	(2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 21)	1	0	Chelsea	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024 INJ
MF	Aster Vranckx	(2002-10-04) 4 October 2002 (age 22)	9	0	VfL Wolfsburg	v.  France, 14 October 2024
FW	Michy Batshuayi	(1993-10-02) 2 October 1993 (age 31)	55	27	Eintracht Frankfurt	v.  Ukraine, 23 March 2025
FW	Johan Bakayoko	(2003-04-20) 20 April 2003 (age 22)	18	1	RB Leipzig	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
FW	Norman Bassette	(2004-11-09) 9 November 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Coventry City	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
FW	Samuel Mbangula	(2004-01-16) 16 January 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Werder Bremen	v.  Israel, 17 November 2024
FW	Cyril Ngonge	(2000-05-26) 26 May 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Napoli	v.  France, 14 October 2024
FW	Julien Duranville	(2006-05-05) 5 May 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Borussia Dortmund	v.  France, 9 September 2024
PRE Preliminary squad / standby RET Retired from the national team INJ Player injuries ILL Player illness U21 Moved to U21 squad WD Player withdrew from squad due to non-injury issue

Famous Players

In the team's early years, striker Robert De Veen scored 26 goals in 23 games. Alphonse Six was known as a very skilled forward. Robert Coppée was key to the 1920 Olympic gold medal team. Other famous strikers from that time were Bernard Voorhoof and Raymond Braine.

In the 1940s and 1950s, players like Louis Carré, Jef Mermans, Pol Anoul, and Rik Coppens stood out. Rik Coppens was even called the best center forward at the 1954 World Cup. The 1960s and early 1970s were the best times for Paul Van Himst. He was later named Belgium's best player from 1954–2003. In 1965, Van Himst was ranked fourth for the European football award, the highest for a Belgian player.

Since 1980, Belgium has had two more groups of talented players. In the 1980s and early 1990s, goalkeepers Jean-Marie Pfaff and Michel Preud'homme were named best at the World Cup. Midfielders Jan Ceulemans and Enzo Scifo were important players in the 1986 World Cup team. In 2002, Marc Wilmots became Belgium's top scorer at the World Cup with five goals.

From 2002 to 2012, Belgium didn't qualify for major tournaments. But during this time, another golden generation of players grew up. Many of them won awards and played for top European clubs. These players include defender Vincent Kompany, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (one of the best attacking midfielders in the world), and winger Eden Hazard. Hazard is the second-highest scorer for Belgium, after Romelu Lukaku. Other important players from this generation are Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Dries Mertens, and Toby Alderweireld. These players helped Belgium finish third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reach number one in FIFA's rankings twice.

Player Statistics

Most Games Played

As of June 9, 2025, the RBFA lists 735 players who have played for the men's national team. Jan Vertonghen has played the most games for Belgium, with 157 appearances. Eden Hazard was captain for the most matches (59). Hector Goetinck had the longest career as an international player, lasting over 17 years.

The records are from FIFA and RSSSF. They include three matches not recognized by FIFA. Players in bold are still playing for Belgium.

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Position	Belgium career
1	Jan Vertonghen	157	10	DF	2007–2024
2	Axel Witsel	132	12	MF	2008–present
3	Toby Alderweireld	127	5	DF	2009–2022
4	Eden Hazard	126	33	MF/FW	2008–2022
5	Romelu Lukaku	124	89	FW	2010–present
6	Kevin De Bruyne	111	31	MF	2010–present
7	Dries Mertens	109	21	FW	2011–2022
8	Thibaut Courtois	103	0	GK	2011–present
9	Jan Ceulemans	96	23	MF/FW	1977–1991
10	Timmy Simons	94	6	DF/MF	2001–2016

Top Goalscorers

Romelu Lukaku is Belgium's highest scorer with 89 goals. Robert De Veen, Bert De Cleyn, and Josip Weber have scored the most goals in one game, with five each. Lukaku has scored four hat-tricks, which is the most. Belgium's fastest goal was scored by Christian Benteke, just 8.1 seconds into a game in 2016.

The records are from FIFA and RSSSF. They include three matches not recognized by FIFA. Players in bold are still playing for Belgium.

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Belgium career
1	Romelu Lukaku (list)	89	124	0.72	2010–present
2	Eden Hazard	33	126	0.26	2008–2022
3	Kevin De Bruyne	31	111	0.28	2010–present
4	Bernard Voorhoof	30	61	0.49	1928–1940
	Paul Van Himst	30	81	0.37	1960–1974
6	Marc Wilmots	28	70	0.4	1990–2002
7	Michy Batshuayi	27	55	0.49	2015–present
	Joseph Mermans	27	56	0.48	1945–1956
9	Robert De Veen	26	23	1.13	1906–1913
	Raymond Braine	26	55	0.47	1925–1939

Team Achievements

FIFA World Cup

Belgium did not get past the first round in their first five World Cups. In 1930, they lost both games without scoring. In 1934 and 1938, they scored but were still knocked out early. In 1954, they drew 4–4 with England. In 1970, they won their first World Cup game, beating El Salvador 3–0.

From 1982 to 2002, Belgium qualified for six World Cups in a row. They made it past the first round five times. In 1982, they beat the defending champions Argentina 1–0.

At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Belgium had their best run at the time. They were seen as underdogs. They beat the Soviet Union 4–3 in extra time. They also beat Spain in a penalty shoot-out after a 1–1 draw. But they lost to Argentina, who went on to win the tournament, 2–0 in the semi-finals. They then lost to France 4–2 in the third-place match.

In 1990, Belgium played well against England in the round of 16. But a late goal by David Platt in extra time knocked them out.

In 1994, they lost 3–2 to Germany in the second round. The team felt a penalty should have been given for a foul on Josip Weber. In 1998, three draws in the group stage were not enough to advance. In 2002, they drew their first two games. But they won the last group game against Russia 3–2. In the second round, they lost 2–0 to Brazil. A goal by Marc Wilmots was disallowed, which was a controversial call.

In 2014, Belgium won all their group games by just one goal. They played an exciting round of 16 match against the United States. The American goalkeeper, Tim Howard, made 15 saves. Belgium won 2–1 in extra time. In the quarter-finals, Argentina beat Belgium 1–0.

At the 2018 World Cup, Belgium won their first five games. This included group wins against Panama, Tunisia, and England. In the round of 16, they were losing 2–0 to Japan. But they came back to win 3–2 with goals from Jan Vertonghen, Marouane Fellaini, and Nacer Chadli. Belgium then beat favorites Brazil 2–1. They reached the semi-finals but lost 0–1 to France. They then won 2–0 against England in the third-place play-off. This was Belgium's best World Cup result ever.

Belgium's FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Outcome	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Group stage	11th of 13	2	0	0	2	0	4	Squad		Participated as invitees
1934	Round of 16	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	Did not enter										Did not enter
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	Second group stage	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	Group stage	23rd of 32	3	1	1	1	1	2	Squad		1st of 5	8	6	2	0	25	6
2026	To be determined										To be determined
Total	Third place	14/22	51	21	10	20	69	74	—		Total	141	83	27	31	302	147
Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place

UEFA European Championship

Belgium has qualified for the UEFA European Championship seven times. They have also hosted or co-hosted the event twice. They hosted 1972 and co-hosted 2000 with the Netherlands.

At Euro 1972, Belgium finished third. They lost 1–2 to West Germany but beat Hungary 2–1. The team's best result was being runners-up at Euro 1980 in Italy. They lost to West Germany in the final. West Germany scored first, but René Vandereycken equalized with a penalty. Two minutes before the end, West Germany scored again to win 2–1.

At Euro 1984, Belgium was leading 2–0 against Denmark in their last group game. But Denmark came back to win 3–2. Sixteen years later, Belgium played in the Euros again as co-hosts. But they were knocked out in the group stage.

Belgium was eliminated in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2016, losing to Wales.

Belgium's UEFA European Championship record											Qualifying record
Year	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Outcome	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1960	Did not enter										Did not enter
1964	Did not qualify										Preliminary loss	2	0	0	2	2	4
1968											2nd of 4	6	3	1	2	14	9
1972	Third place	3rd of 4	2	1	0	1	3	3	Squad		Quarter-finals win	8	5	2	1	13	4
1976	Did not qualify										1st of 4, playoff loss	8	3	2	3	7	10
1980	Runners-up	2nd of 8	4	1	2	1	4	4	Squad		1st of 5	8	4	4	0	12	5
1984	Group stage	6th of 8	3	1	0	2	4	8	Squad		1st of 4	6	4	1	1	12	8
1988	Did not qualify										3rd of 5	8	3	3	2	16	8
1992											3rd of 4	6	2	1	3	7	6
1996											3rd of 6	10	4	3	3	17	13
2000	Group stage	12th of 16	3	1	0	2	2	5	Squad		Qualified as hosts
2004	Did not qualify										3rd of 5	8	5	1	2	11	9
2008											5th of 8	14	5	3	6	14	16
2012											3rd of 6	10	4	3	3	21	15
2016	Quarter-finals	7th of 24	5	3	0	2	9	5	Squad		1st of 6	10	7	2	1	24	5
2020		5th of 24	5	4	0	1	9	3	Squad		1st of 6	10	10	0	0	40	3
2024	To be determined										To be determined
Total	Runners-up	6/16	22	11	2	9	31	28	—		Total	114	59	26	29	210	115
Champions       Runners-up       Third place/semi-finalists       Fourth place

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League
League phase													Finals
Season	LG	Grp	Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK		Year	Host(s)	Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
2018–19	A	2	2nd	4	3	0	1	9	6		5th		2019	Portugal	Did not qualify
2020–21	A	2	1st	6	5	0	1	16	6		2nd		2021	Italy	4th	2	0	0	2	3	5	Squad
2022–23	A	4	2nd	6	3	1	2	11	8		7th		2023	Netherlands	Did not qualify
2024–25	A	2	3rd	8	2	1	5	10	12		12th		2025	Germany
Total	24	13	2	9	46	32	4th	1/4	2	0	0		2	3	5	—
Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place

Olympic Games

Men's football tournaments were held at six Summer Olympics between 1908 and 1936. The Belgian team played in all three Olympic Games in the 1920s. They won the gold medal at home in 1920. Two other Belgian teams also played in the Olympics. In 1900, a team of students won bronze. In 2008, Belgium's U-23 team finished fourth.

Belgium's 1920 Olympic team went straight to the quarter-finals. They won 3–1 against Spain and beat the Netherlands 3–0 in the semi-finals. In the final against Czechoslovakia, Belgium was leading 2–0 in the first half. After a controversial penalty and another goal, the Czechoslovak team left the field in the 40th minute. Their complaints were dismissed, and they were disqualified. Belgium was crowned champions with the 2–0 score.

Belgium's Olympic Games record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1896	No Olympic football tournament
1900	Bronze medal	1	0	0	1	2	6	Squad
1904	Did not enter
1908
1912
1920	Gold medal	3	3	0	0	8	1	Squad
1924	Round of 16	1	0	0	1	1	8	Squad
1928	Quarter-finals	3	1	0	2	9	12	Squad
1932	No Olympic football tournament
1936	Did not enter
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980	Did not qualify
1984
1988	Did not enter
1992	Did not qualify
1996
2000
2004
2008	Fourth place	6	3	0	3	7	10	Squad
2012	Did not qualify
2016
2020
2024	To be determined
Total	1 Title	14	7	0	7	27	37	—
Gold medal       Silver medal       Bronze medal       Fourth place

Olympic Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1992 (with three players of over 23 years of age allowed in the squad).

Team Honors

Major Competitions

• FIFA World Cup
  • Third place (1): 2018
• UEFA European Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 1980
  • Third place (1): 1972
• Olympic Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1920
  • Bronze medal (1): 1900¹

Friendly Competitions

• Kirin Cup
  • Champions (1): 1999

Awards

• FIFA Team of the Year: 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
• FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy: 2002
• Belgian Sports Merit Award: 1980
• Belgian Sportsteam of the Year: 2013, 2014

Summary of Medals

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	0	0	1	1
Olympic Games	1	0	0	1
UEFA European Championship	0	1	1	2
UEFA Nations League	0	0	0	0
Total	1	1	2	4

Notes

1. These were exhibition games played by club teams, not officially recognized by FIFA. The University of Brussels team played in 1900.

More to Explore

• Belgium men's national football team results – unofficial matches
• Belgian Congo men's national football team (1948–60)
• Belgium men's national football B team
• Belgium men's national youth football team (U-15 – U-21 squads)
• Belgian First Division A
• Belgium women's national football team
• Sport in Belgium

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Bélgica para niños