At Euro 2024 the talented Belgium team almost escapes the ‘Golden Generation’ tag. But not quite yet
So close, so nearly made it.
After more than 25 minutes of questions to Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne and coach Domenico Tedesco on Sunday, the dreaded words “Golden Generation” had not yet been heard.
And then it happened — with the very last question, to Tedesco, on the eve of his team’s opening European Championship game against Slovakia.
“It’s a typical German question about the Golden Generation,” quipped Tedesco, who is Italian-born though a German citizen. “I was expecting that one.”
One day, Belgium coaches and players will not be pulled back to the gilded crop of prospects who seemed sure to one day win an international title, and possibly should have at Euro 2016.
It’s been a label, and a millstone, for Belgium since the 2008 Beijing Olympics where an emerging squad included Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini and Jan Vertonghen.
De Bruyne and Eden Hazard were maturing in the team that reached the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals. The Red Devils were stunned at the same stage of Euro 2016 by Wales despite extra established stars Thibaut Courtois in goal and Romelu Lukaku in attack.

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