Belgium face uncertainty after Spain exit as veterans weigh futures | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Belgium enter a jittery post-World Cup spell, with the next head coach unknown and the futures of Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne unresolved.

They lost 1-2 to Spain in the quarter-finals after an 88th-minute error by goalkeeper Senne Lammens, yet regard the campaign as a success.

Head coach Rudi Garcia is out of contract in July. Appointed by sporting director Vincent Mannaert, he hit three targets, Nations League survival, World Cup qualification and a last-eight finish. His in-game changes drew praise, Belgium scored 14 goals and 23 players featured, excluding Debast, Penders and De Winter.

Garcia said he took over 18 months ago to push an experienced core and accepted they may be near the end. He told Le Soir any decision on speeding up renewal will come only after a World Cup review, not now amid uncertainties.

Inside the federation, a Dutch-speaking wing want a less old-fashioned profile. With France on 28 September, Türkiye on 2 October and Italy on 15 November in the Nations League, the timeline prompts a quick call.

Youri Tielemans, captain but withdrawn after the warm-up against Spain, told RTBF many players looked spent. Axel Witsel, 37, said this was his final cap. Thibaut Courtois, 34, went off injured and has asked publicly for a one-year pause to rest, recover and be with family. Kevin De Bruyne, 35, ended on empty, and Romelu Lukaku, 33, is also unsure about continuing without his golden generation team-mates. Belgium have depth, but would lose stature if those leaders depart.

Source: L'Équipe