The Belgium national men's football team (abbreviated as "Belgium", English name: Belgium national football team) was established in 1895 and is managed by the Royal Belgian Football Association as the national level football team.
Since the 1930s and 1940s, Belgium has been a regular participant in the World Cup, and in the 1980s, it experienced a golden era—the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico is considered the pinnacle, where the team defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 and eliminated Spain in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals, ultimately finishing in fourth place. The European stage has also seen remarkable achievements, with a third-place finish in the home Euro 1972 and a silver medal in the final of 1980.
In 2014, a new generation of the "Golden Generation" emerged, with stars like De Bruyne, Hazard, and Lukaku shining in Europe's top leagues. In the quarter-finals of the UEFA Euro 2020, they were defeated by Italy, and in the 2022 World Cup, they suffered a shocking exit in the group stage.
In the first match of the group stage of the UEFA Euro 2024, they suffered a shocking defeat to Slovakia. After a narrow escape to the knockout stage, they faced their old rival France in the Round of 16. A bizarre own goal just before the end of the match led to Belgium's 0-1 exit, reminiscent of the bitter elimination by France in the semi-finals six years ago. From making a mark on the Olympic stage to the downfall of the Golden Generation, the "Red Devils" are still in search of the dawn that will break their fate.