BELGIUM

BELGIUM

FIFA World Cup™ finals historyBelgium were ever-present at football's top table between 1982 and 2002, but this was followed by a 12-year spell in the wilderness. They marked their return to the elite at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil by advancing to the quarter-finals, where their run was halted by eventual runners-up Argentina. This was the Belgians' second most successful campaign, having made it to the semi-finals at Mexico 1986, and they have progressed beyond the first round on five occasions in total. A founding member of FIFA, they featured in the tournament's first three editions. They became the second European side, after hosts Russia, to secure their place at the 2018 edition, after defeating Greece 2-1 in September to take an unassailable lead atop European qualifying Group H.The teamWith individual talents such as Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Benteke, the days of Belgium relying largely on team spirit are a thing of the past. These days the Diables Rouges are stocked in every department with proven performers who have earned their stripes at the highest level. Their strike force dominated the build-up to Brazil 2014 only to be outshone by the defence, but the team as a whole served up a taste of the hunger that drives the country's new generation.   The coachSpanish coach Roberto Martinez was given the reins of the Belgian side following their UEFA EURO 2016 exit at the quarter-final stage, after which Marc Wilmots departed. The 43-year-old has so far spent his entire coaching career at club level in England, most recently taking charge of Everton - where he coached Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas - where he spent three years, having previously been at the helm of Wigan Athletic and Swansea City since turning to management in 2007. Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry was named as one of Martinez's assistant coaches. The stat12 - The number of times this country with a population of just over ten million has featured at the World Cup.Former starsRik Coppens, Jan Ceulemans, Eric Gerets, Paul Van Himst, Enzo Scifo, Marc Degryse, Georges Grun, Jean-Marie Pfaff, Marc Wilmots, Michel Preud'homme