View source for Belgium national football team

{{Short description|Men's association football team}}
{{About|the men's team|the women's team|Belgium women's national football team}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox national football team
| Name                  = Belgium
| Badge                 = File:Royal Belgian FA logo 2019.svg
| Badge_size            = 135px
| Nickname              =
{{Plainlist|
* ''De Rode Duivels''
* ''Les Diables rouges''
* ''Die Roten Teufel''
* (The Red Devils)
}}
| Association           = [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] (RBFA)
| Confederation         = [[UEFA]] (Europe)
| website               = [https://www.rbfa.be/ rbfa.be]
| Coach                 = [[Domenico Tedesco]]
| Captain               = [[Kevin De Bruyne]]
| Most caps             = [[Jan Vertonghen]] (157){{efn|name=fifa_unrec}}
| Top scorer            = [[Romelu Lukaku]] ([[List of international goals scored by Romelu Lukaku|85]]){{efn|name=fifa_unrec}}
| Home Stadium          = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
| FIFA Trigramme        = BEL
| FIFA Rank             = {{FIFA World Rankings|BEL}}
| FIFA max              = 1
| FIFA max date         = November 2015 – March 2016, September 2018 – March 2022<ref name="FIFA World Rankings" />
| FIFA min              = 71
| FIFA min date         = June 2007<ref name="FIFA World Rankings" />
| Elo Rank              = {{World Football Elo Ratings|Belgium}}
| pattern_la1           = _bel24h
| pattern_b1            = _bel24h
| pattern_ra1           = _bel24h
| pattern_sh1           = _bel24h
| pattern_so1           =
| leftarm1              = 8A0B11
| body1                 = 8A0B11
| rightarm1             = 8A0B11
| shorts1               = 000000
| socks1                = 8A0B11
| pattern_la2           = _bel24a
| pattern_b2            = _bel24a
| pattern_ra2           = _bel24a
| pattern_sh2           = _bel24a
| pattern_so2           =
| leftarm2              = 87CEEB
| body2                 = 87CEEB
| rightarm2             = 87CEEB
| shorts2               = AF5733
| socks2                = FFFFFF
| Elo max               = 1
| Elo max date          = 16 November 2019 – 10 October 2020
| Elo min               = 70
| Elo min date          = 14 October 2009, 7 September 2010
| First game            = {{fb|BEL}} [[Évence Coppée Trophy|3–3]] {{fb-rt|FRA|1794}}<br />([[Uccle]], [[Belgium]]; 1 May 1904)
| Largest win           = {{fb|BEL}} 9–0 {{fb-rt|Zambia|1964}}<br />([[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]; 4 June 1994)<br />{{fb|BEL}} 10–1 {{fb-rt|SMR|1862}}<br />([[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]; 28 February 2001)<br />{{fb|BEL}} 9–0 {{fb-rt|GIB}}<br />([[Liège]], [[Belgium]]; 31 August 2017)<br />{{fb|BEL}} 9–0 {{fb-rt|SMR}}<br />([[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]; 10 October 2019)
| Largest loss          = {{Fbam|ENG|full=y}} 11–2 {{fb-rt|BEL}}<br />([[London]], [[England]]; 17 April 1909)
| World cup apps        = 14
| World cup first       = 1930
| World cup best        = Third place ([[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]])
| Regional name         = [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]]
| Regional cup apps     = 7
| Regional cup first    = [[UEFA Euro 1972|1972]]
| Regional cup best     = Runners-up ([[UEFA Euro 1980|1980]])
| 2ndRegional name      = [[UEFA Nations League|Nations League Finals]]
| 2ndRegional cup apps  = 1
| 2ndRegional cup first = [[2021 UEFA Nations League Finals|2021]]
| 2ndRegional cup best  = Fourth place ([[2021 UEFA Nations League Finals|2021]])
| medaltemplates        =
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 Russia]]|[[2018 FIFA World Cup squads#Belgium|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[UEFA Euro 1980|1980 Italy]]|[[UEFA Euro 1980 squads#Belgium|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[UEFA Euro 1972|1972 Belgium]]|[[UEFA Euro 1972 squads#Belgium|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Antwerp]]|[[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1900 Summer Olympics|1900 Paris]]|[[Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
|3rdRegional cup apps=5|3rdRegional name=[[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|3rdRegional cup first=[[Football at the Summer Olympics|1900]]|3rdRegional cup best='''Gold medal''' ([[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920]])}}

The '''Belgium national football team'''{{efn|{{langx|nl|Belgisch nationaal voetbalelftal}}<br />{{langx|fr|Équipe nationale belge de football}}<br />{{langx|de|Belgische Fußballnationalmannschaft}}}} has officially represented [[Belgium]] in men's international [[Association football|football]] since [[Évence Coppée Trophy|their maiden match]] in 1904. The squad is under the global jurisdiction of [[FIFA]] and is governed in Europe by [[UEFA]]—both of which were co-founded by the Belgian team's supervising body, the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]]. Periods of regular Belgian representation at the highest international level, from 1920 to 1938, from 1980 to 2002 and again from 2014 onwards, have alternated with mostly unsuccessful qualification rounds. Most of Belgium's home matches are played at the [[King Baudouin Stadium]] in Brussels.

Belgium's national team have participated in three quadrennial major football competitions. It appeared in the end stages of fourteen [[FIFA World Cup]]s and six [[UEFA European Championship]]s, and featured at three Olympic football tournaments, including the [[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Summer Olympic]] which they won. Other notable performances are victories over four [[FIFA World Cup#Results|reigning world champions]]—West Germany, Brazil, Argentina and France—between 1954 and 2002. Belgium has long-standing football rivalries with its Dutch and French counterparts, having played both teams nearly every year from 1905 to 1967. The squad has been known as the Red Devils since 1906; its fan club is named "1895".

During the national player career of forward [[Paul Van Himst]], the most-praised Belgian footballer of the 20th century, Belgium finished in third place as hosts at [[UEFA Euro 1972]]. After that, they experienced two [[Golden generation|golden ages]] with many gifted players. In the first period, which lasted from the 1980s to the early 1990s, the team finished as runners-up at [[UEFA Euro 1980]] and fourth in the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]]. In the second, under guidance of [[Marc Wilmots]] and later [[Roberto Martínez]] in the 2010s, Belgium topped the [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|FIFA World Ranking]] for the first time in November 2015 and finished third at the [[2018 FIFA World Cup]]. To date, Belgium is the only national team in the world to top the FIFA ranking without having won a World Cup or a continental trophy.

==History==
{{Main|History of the Belgium national football team}}
===Early history===
Belgium was one of the first mainland European countries to play association football, with the earliest recorded example of its practice in Belgium dating back to 1863.<ref>See:* {{harvnb|Goldblatt|2008|p=120}}, * {{harvnb|de Vries|2007|p=57}}, * {{harvnb|Kassimeris|2007|p=12}}.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://eoswetenschap.eu/artikel/belgische-voetbalgeschiedenis-begon-gent |title=Belgische voetbalgeschiedenis begon in Gent |trans-title=Belgian football history began in Ghent |journal=[[Eos (newspaper)|Eos]] |first=Dries |last=Vanysacker |date=21 May 2015 |language=nl |access-date=13 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625095029/http://eoswetenschap.eu/artikel/belgische-voetbalgeschiedenis-begon-gent |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref>

[[File:BelgiumNFT1901.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|alt=Football team in uniform|The first Belgium A-squad in 1901 featured four Englishmen.]]

On 11 October 1900, [[K. Beerschot V.A.C.|Beerschot AC]] honorary president Jorge Díaz announced that [[Antwerp]] would host a series of challenge matches between Europe's best football teams.{{sfn|Guldemont|Deps|1995|p=64}} After some organisational problems, on 28 April 1901, Beerschot's pitch hosted [[1901 Coupe Vanden Abeele|its first tournament]], in which a Belgian selection and a Dutch team made up of players from third-level sides led by ex-footballer [[Cees van Hasselt]] contested the [[Belgium vs Netherlands Cups#Coupe Vanden Abeele|Coupe Vanden Abeele]].<ref name=Vanden>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/coupe-vdab.html |title=Coupe Vanden Abeele |date=9 June 2022 |accessdate=14 January 2024 }}</ref> Naturally, the hosts had little trouble claiming the cup, defeating the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] by 8–0.<ref name=Vanden/>{{sfn|Fraiponts|Willocx|2003}}<ref name="TrouwCVA">{{cite news |title=Interlandvoetbal om 'koperen dingetje'/Sporteeuw (2) – 1901 |trans-title=International football for 'the copper thingy'/Sports Century (2) – 1901 |first=Matty |last=Verkamman |url=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/article/detail/2649008/1999/01/09/Interlandvoetbal-om-koperen-dingetje-Sporteeuw-2---1901.dhtml |newspaper=[[Trouw]] |language=nl |date=9 January 1999 |access-date=9 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625095406/http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/article/detail/2649008/1999/01/09/Interlandvoetbal-om-koperen-dingetje-Sporteeuw-2---1901.dhtml |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref> Belgium then beat the Netherlands in all three follow-up matches;{{sfn|Hubert|1980|p=13}} [[Belgium national football team results (unofficial matches)|FIFA does not recognize these results]] because Belgium fielded some English players, such as [[Herbert Potts]], who scored 12 of "Belgium's" 17 goals.<ref name=Vanden/>{{sfn|Hubert|1980|p=13}}

On 1 May 1904, the Belgians played their first official match, against [[France national football team|France]] at the [[Stade du Vivier d'Oie]] in Uccle; their draw left the Évence Coppée Trophy unclaimed.<ref name="UEFABelFra1904">{{cite web|title=Belgium v France − a 109-year-old rivalry |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=13 August 2013 |access-date=15 August 2013 |url=http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1980808.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625095456/http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1980808.html |archive-date=25 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Twenty days later, the [[Football association|football board]]s of both countries were among the seven FIFA founders.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of FIFA – Foundation |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=16 May 2014 |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/history/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625095542/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/history/index.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref>{{sfn|Parrish|Nauright|2014|p=xv}} At that time, the Belgian squad was chosen by a committee chaired by [[Édouard de Laveleye]], who usually drew from the country's six or seven major clubs.{{sfn|Boin|1945}} Belgium would play twice a year against the Netherlands beginning from 1905 onwards, generally once in [[Antwerp]] and once in [[Rotterdam]]. From these beginnings until 1925, [[Belgium vs Netherlands Cups|Belgian-Dutch cup trophies]] would be awarded in the "[[Low Countries derby]]".{{sfn|Fraiponts|Willocx|2003}}

In 1906, the national team players received the nickname Red Devils because of their red jerseys,{{sfn|Guldemont|Deps|1995|p=65}} and four years later, Scottish ex-footballer [[William Maxwell (footballer)|William Maxwell]] replaced the UBSSA committee as their manager.<ref name="manrsssf" /> From 1912, UBSSA governed football only and was renamed UBSFA.{{efn|UBSFA was the acronym for the organisation's French name: ''Union Belge des Sociétés de Football-Association''.<br>In 1920 it received the title of "Royal Union" for its 25th year of existence, and hence became the Royal Belgian Football Association.<ref>{{cite web|title=Historique de l'URBSFA |trans-title=History of the RBFA |publisher=[[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]] |language=fr |url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/fr/historique-de-lurbsfa |access-date=31 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507062324/http://www.belgianfootball.be/fr/historique-de-lurbsfa |archive-date=7 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}<ref name="RBFAhist"/>{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=75}} During the Great War, the national team only played  [[Belgium national football team results – unofficial matches|unrecognized friendlies]], with matches in and against France.<ref name="results" /><ref name="DT210316">{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A110548702%3Ampeg21%3Aa0098 |newspaper=[[De Telegraaf]] |via=[[Delpher]] |title=Frankrijk–België |trans-title=France–Belgium |language=nl |date=21 March 1916 |access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref>

===Olympic gold and World Cup struggles===
[[File:1920 Olympic football final (Belgium v. Czechoslovakia), penalty Coppée.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|alt=A successful penalty kick, seen from the back of the net|In the 1920 Olympic football final at the [[Olympisch Stadion (Antwerp)|Olympisch Stadion]] in Antwerp, Robert Coppée scored for Belgium with a penalty kick.]]
At the [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Summer Olympic]], in their first official Olympics appearance, the ''Red Devils'' won the gold medal on home soil after [[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics#Gold medal match|a controversial final]] in which their Czechoslovak opponents left the pitch.<ref name="ISOH"/> In the three 1920s Summer Olympic, they achieved fair results (four wins in seven matches), and played their first intercontinental match, against [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]].<ref name="results"/>

However, over the following decade, Belgium lost all of their matches at the first three FIFA World Cup final tournament.<ref name="results"/> According to historian Richard Henshaw, "[t]he growth of [football] in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and South America left Belgium far behind".{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=76}} Although [[World War II]] hindered international football events in the 1940s, the Belgian team remained active with unofficial matches against squads of other [[Allies of World War II|allied nations]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.arch.be/docs/catalogues/catalogus_belgium-in-exile.pdf |journal=Catalogus van de Gelijknamige Tentoonstelling in Het Algemeen Rijksarchief te Brussel |title=Belgium in exile - Belgische regering, vluchtelingen en soldaten in Groot-Brittannië |page=31 |trans-title=Belgium in exile - Belgian government, refugees and soldiers in Great Britain |publisher=[[National Archives of Belgium]] |language=nl |access-date=18 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218120617/http://www.arch.be/docs/catalogues/catalogus_belgium-in-exile.pdf |archive-date=18 December 2016}}</ref>

Belgium qualified for only one of eight major tournament during the 1950s and the 1960s: the [[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954 World Cup]]. The day before the tournament began, the RBFA was among the three UEFA founders.<ref>{{cite web|title=The birth of UEFA |publisher=[[UEFA]] |first=Mark |last=Chaplin |date=5 May 2014 |access-date=28 June 2014 |url=http://www.uefa.org/60-years/news/newsid=2099394.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100116/http://www.uefa.org/60-years/news/newsid%3D2099394.html |archive-date=25 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Dutch journalists considered the draw of the 1954 Belgian team in their opener against [[England national football team|England]] to be the most surprising result of that match day, even more than [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]'s victory over the Italian "football stars".<ref name="AD180654">{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=belgi%C3%AB+engeland+voetbal&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1950-1959%7C1954%7C&page=11&sortfield=date&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A010404313%3Ampeg21%3Aa0108&resultsidentifier=ddd%3A010404313%3Ampeg21%3Aa0108 |newspaper=Amigoe di Curaçao |via=[[Delpher]] |title=België wist Engeland een gelijk spel af te dwingen |trans-title=Belgium managed to enforce a draw against England |language=nl |date=18 June 1954 |access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref> However, Belgium were eliminated after a loss to [[Italy national football team|Italy]] in the second (and last) group match.<ref name="rsssf54"/> Two bright spots in these decades were wins against World Cup holders: [[Germany national football team|West Germany]] in 1954, and [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] in 1963.<ref name="results"/> Between these, Belgium defeated Hungary's [[Golden Team]] in 1956.<ref name="results"/> The combination of failure in competitive matches, and success in exhibition matches, gave the Belgians the mock title of "world champions of the friendlies".<ref>{{cite web|title=Retro WK 1966: Engeland wint na meest omstreden goal van de eeuw, Duivels stranden in testmatch |trans-title=Retro WC 1966: England wins after most controversial goal of the century, Devils left stranded in test match |language=nl |url=http://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/119769/RETRO_WK_1966:_Engeland_wint_na_meest_omstreden_goal_van_de_eeuw,_Duivels_stranden_in_testmatch |website=voetbalnieuws.be |date=31 May 2014 |access-date=19 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100210/http://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/119769/RETRO_WK_1966%3A_Engeland_wint_na_meest_omstreden_goal_van_de_eeuw%2C_Duivels_stranden_in_testmatch |archive-date=25 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{sfn|Bernhart|Houtman|2014}}

The team's performance improved during the early 1970s, under manager [[Raymond Goethals]]. Fully dressed in white, as the White Devils,<ref name="WhiteDevil"/> Belgium had their first victories at World and European Championship at the [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970 World Cup]] and Euro 1972.<ref name="rsssf70"/><ref name="rsssf72"/> En route to that Euro appearance, their first, they eliminated [[List of UEFA European Championship records and statistics#General statistics by tournament|reigning European champions]] Italy by winning the [[UEFA Euro 1972 quarter-finals|two-legged quarter-final]] on [[Glossary of association football terms#A|aggregate]]. At the end stage, they finished third by winning the consolation match against Hungary.<ref name="rsssf72"/> In 1973, the denial of a match-winning goal in their last [[1974 FIFA World Cup qualification]] match for UEFA Group 3 cost Belgium their appearance at the final,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/sport/wonderbaarlijke-ontsnappingen-uit-de-oranje-historie~a743458/ |title=Wonderbaarlijke ontsnappingen uit de Oranje-historie |trans-title=Miraculous escapes in Oranje history |newspaper=[[de Volkskrant]] |language=nl |date=19 November 2003 |access-date=16 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608214932/http://www.volkskrant.nl/sport/wonderbaarlijke-ontsnappingen-uit-de-oranje-historie~a743458/ |archive-date=8 June 2016}}</ref> causing Belgium to become the only nation ever to miss a World Cup final round despite not allowing a goal during the qualifiers.{{sfn|Snyder|2001}} The next two attempts to reach a major final ([[UEFA Euro 1976|Euro 1976]] and the [[1978 FIFA World Cup]]) were also fruitless.<ref name="rsssf76">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/76e.html |title=European Championship 1976 |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Martín |last2=Tabeira |date=20 June 2013 |access-date=24 October 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100410/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/76e.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="rsssf78">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/78q.html |title=World Cup 1978 Qualifying |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Sergio Henrique |last2=Jarreta |date=3 January 2000 |access-date=24 October 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100456/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/78q.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Selectie Belgisch elftal Atomium op de achtergrond, Bestanddeelnr 929-0880.jpg|thumb|260px|The Belgian national team in 1977]]
===Golden age===
Beginning with a second-place finish at Euro 1980,<ref name="rsssf80"/> the 1980s and the early 1990s are generally considered as Belgium's first golden age.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/118096/2014-world-cup-test-belgiums-new-golden-generation |title=Why You Should (and Should Not) be Excited About Belgium's New Golden Generation |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |date=16 June 2014 |author=[[David Runciman|Runciman, David]] |access-date=5 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726181035/https://newrepublic.com/article/118096/2014-world-cup-test-belgiums-new-golden-generation |archive-date=26 July 2020}}</ref> Coached by [[Guy Thys]], they achieved their spot in [[UEFA Euro 1980 final|the 1980 final]] with an unbeaten record in the group phase; in the final, they narrowly lost the title to West Germany with the score 1–2.<ref name="rsssf80"/> Starting with the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 World Cup]], and ending with the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]], the national team qualified for six consecutive World Cup end stages and mostly progressed to the second round.<ref name="BBC230514">{{cite web |title=2014 Fifa World Cup: Guide to Belgium's Group H |publisher=BBC |date=23 May 2014 |access-date=12 July 2016 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/25159874 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919203001/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/25159874 |archive-date=19 September 2020}}</ref> During this period, managers Guy Thys, [[Paul Van Himst]] and [[Robert Waseige]] each guided a Belgian selection past the first round.<ref name="rsssf82" /><ref name="rsssf94"/><ref name="rsssf2002"/> In addition to receiving individual [[FIFA World Cup awards|FIFA recognitions]],<ref name="AllStar"/><ref name="FIFAWCAwards"/> the team reached the semi-finals of the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]].<ref name="rsssf86"/> After reaching the Euro 1980 final, they were unsuccessful at subsequent European Championship, with early exits from their appearances [[UEFA Euro 1984|in 1984]] and [[UEFA Euro 2000|in 2000]].<ref name="rsssf84det" /><ref name="rsssf2000"/> During the late 1990s, they played three friendly tournament in Morocco, Cyprus and Japan,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesh/hassanii-98.html |title=King Hassan II Tournament 1998 |first=Josef |last=Bobrowsky |date=14 June 2000 |access-date=20 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100756/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesh/hassanii-98.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cyprus International Tournament 1999 |website=[[RSSSF]] |date=27 February 2001 |access-date=26 July 2016 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/cypr-intltourn99.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160726150535/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/cypr-intltourn99.html |archive-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> sharing the [[Kirin Cup Soccer|1999 Kirin Cup]] with Peru in the latter.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesk/kirin99.html |first=José Luis |last=Pierrend |title=Kirin Cup 1999 |date=11 June 2000 |access-date=20 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625101004/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesk/kirin99.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref> The greatest talents of the Belgian team during this golden age were retired from international football by 2000.<ref name="AllRedD"/> At the eve of the World Cup in 2002, Belgium defeated reigning world and European champions France.<ref name="results" /> During that World Cup, Belgium defeated Russia and tied with co-host Japan and Tunisia to reach the round of 16.<ref name="rsssf2002" />

After the 2002 World Cup, the team weakened with the loss of more veterans and coach Waseige.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gva.be/cnt/oid209124/archief-markov-belgie-verzwakt-door-vertrek-wilmots-verheyen |title=Markov: "België verzwakt door vertrek Wilmots-Verheyen" |trans-title=Markov: "Belgium weakened by departure Wilmots-Verheyen" |language=nl |newspaper=[[Gazet van Antwerpen]] |date=8 September 2002 |access-date=27 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625101049/http://www.gva.be/cnt/oid209124/archief-markov-belgie-verzwakt-door-vertrek-wilmots-verheyen |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Waseige resigns as Belgium coach |website=BreakingNews.ie |date=17 June 2002 |access-date=15 March 2014 |url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/soccer/waseige-resigns-as-belgium-coach-55972.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121175817/http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/soccer/waseige-resigns-as-belgium-coach-55972.html |archive-date=21 November 2015}}</ref> They missed out five successive major finals from [[UEFA Euro 2004]] until [[UEFA Euro 2012]], and went through an equal number of head coaches.<ref name="HN060612">{{cite web |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120606_104 |title=Overzicht Belgische bondscoaches |trans-title=Overview Belgian national team coaches |language=nl |first=Maarten |last=Delvaux |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |date=6 June 2012 |access-date=18 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721102440/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120606_104 |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref> A 2005 win over reigning European champions [[Greece national football team|Greece]] meant nothing but a small comfort.<ref name="results"/> In between, a promising new generation was maturing at the [[2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship|2007 European U-21 Championship]]; [[Belgium national under-21 football team|Belgium's squad]] qualified for the following year's [[2008 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic in Beijing]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/i81dm9vn |title=Sterke generatie schrijft geschiedenis |trans-title=Strong generation writes history |first=Gunther |last=De Vos |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |date=18 June 2007 |access-date=27 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625101417/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/i81dm9vn |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref> where the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads#Belgium|Young Red Devils squad]] finished fourth.<ref name="rsssfOG2008"/> Seventeen of them appeared in the senior national team,<ref name="AllRedD" /> albeit without making an immediate impact. Belgium finished in second (and last) place at the [[Kirin Cup Soccer|Kirin Cup in May 2009]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesk/kirin09.html |title=Kirin Cup 2009 |first=Hamdan |last=Saaid |date=16 July 2009 |access-date=20 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625101516/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesk/kirin09.html |archive-date=25 June 2016}}</ref> and lost against the 125th FIFA-ranked [[Armenia national football team|Armenian team]] in September 2009.<ref name="FIFA World Rankings"/> After [[Georges Leekens]]' second stint as national manager,<ref>{{cite news |title=Georges Leekens dan toch bondscoach |trans-title=Georges Leekens national manager after all |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |first1=Ludo |last1=Vandewalle |first2=Gunther |last2=De Vos |first3=Ki. |last3=V. |language=nl |date=3 May 2010 |access-date=10 July 2013 |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/DMF20100503_073 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919203229/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20100503_073 |archive-date=19 September 2020 }}</ref><ref name="DS130512">{{cite news |title=Leekens verlaat Rode Duivels voor Club Brugge |trans-title=Leekens leaves Red Devils for Club Brugge |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |author1=lbo |first2=Jan |last2=M. |language=nl |date=13 May 2012 |access-date=10 July 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20120513_032}}</ref> his assistant [[Marc Wilmots]] became the caretaker in May 2012.<ref name="DS150512">{{cite news |title=Marc Wilmots voorlopig interim-bondscoach |trans-title=Marc Wilmots provisional interim national manager |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first1=Maarten |last1=Delvaux |first2=Bart |last2=Lagae |language=nl |date=15 May 2012 |access-date=9 July 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20120515_070 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112182805/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20120515_070 |archive-date=12 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Second golden age===
After two matches as interim coach, Wilmots agreed to replace Leekens as manager.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Wilmots is nieuwe bondscoach tot 2014 |trans-title=Marc Wilmots is new national manager until 2014 |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first=Jan |last=M. |language=nl |date=6 June 2012 |access-date=9 July 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20120606_075 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919203637/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20120606_075 |archive-date=19 September 2020}}</ref> Following his appointment, the team's results improved,<ref>{{cite news|title=Argentina go second, Belgium & Uruguay rise |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=12 September 2013 |access-date=12 September 2013 |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y=2013/m=9/news=argentina-second-belgium-uruguay-rise-2172489.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626093801/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y%3D2013/m%3D9/news%3Dargentina-second-belgium-uruguay-rise-2172489.html |archive-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> such that some foreign media regarded it as another Belgian golden generation.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Why Belgium is the hottest country in football |journal=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |first=Tim |last=Adams |date=24 August 2013 |access-date=15 September 2013 |url=http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/features/3834/why-belgium-has-the-most-exciting-footballers-in-the-world/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919103648/http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/features/3834/why-belgium-has-the-most-exciting-footballers-in-the-world/ |archive-date=19 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rote Teufel: Eine Goldene Generation mit königsblauer Disziplin |trans-title=Red Devils: A golden generation with royal blue discipline |newspaper=[[Bild]] |language=de |date=11 September 2013 |access-date=15 September 2013 |url=http://sportbild.bild.de/fussball/international/nationalmannschaft/heissestes-versprechen-in-europa-32348238.sport.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094023/http://sportbild.bild.de/fussball/international/nationalmannschaft/heissestes-versprechen-in-europa-32348238.sport.html |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Will Belgium win the World Cup? |first=John |last=Sinnott |publisher=CNN |date=10 September 2013 |access-date=15 September 2013 |url=http://worldsport.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/10/will-belgium-win-the-world-cup/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094128/http://worldsport.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/10/will-belgium-win-the-world-cup/ |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> The young Belgian squad qualified as unbeaten [[2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A|group winners]] for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup]] final,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2014q.html |title=World Cup 2014 Qualifying |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Juan Pablo |last2=Andrés |first3=Erik Francisco |last3=Lugo |date=18 June 2015 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094221/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2014q.html |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> and earned Belgium's second-ever [[2014 FIFA World Cup|place in a World Cup quarter-finals]] with a four-match winning streak.<ref name="rsssf2014"/>
[[File:Match Algérie vs Belgique, Coupe du Monde 2014, Brésil (cropped).jpg|alt=Belgian defender maneuvering around the Algerian goal|thumb|245x245px|Belgium (in red) playing [[Algeria national football team|Algeria]] at the [[Mineirão]] at the 2014 World Cup]]
Belgium qualified for [[UEFA Euro 2016]] with a match to spare in October 2015,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/matches/round=2000446/match=2014042/postmatch/report/ |title=Belgium stroll past Andorra to qualify |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=10 October 2015 |access-date=3 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094303/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season%3D2016/matches/round%3D2000446/match%3D2014042/postmatch/report/ |archive-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and took the top spot in the FIFA World Ranking for the first time in November 2015,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y=2015/m=11/news=belgium-go-top-chile-and-austria-soar-2730157.html |publisher=[[FIFA]] |title=Belgium go top, Chile and Austria soar |date=5 November 2015 |access-date=5 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094459/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y%3D2015/m%3D11/news%3Dbelgium-go-top-chile-and-austria-soar-2730157.html |archive-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> to stay first for five months.<ref name="FIFA World Rankings" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Belgium and Turkey claim awards, Hungary return |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y=2015/m=12/news=belgium-and-turkey-claim-awards-hungary-return-2741598.html |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=3 December 2015 |access-date=21 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721140211/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/news/y%3D2015/m%3D12/news%3Dbelgium-and-turkey-claim-awards-hungary-return-2741598.html |archive-date=21 July 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the following year, Belgium could not confirm their role as outsider at the European Championship with a quarter-finals elimination by the 26th FIFA-ranked [[Wales national football team|Welsh team]].<ref name="FIFA World Rankings" /><ref name="EC2016Wal" /> This prompted the RBFA to dismiss Wilmots.<ref>{{cite news |author=maj |title=Marc Wilmots ontslagen als coach Rode Duivels |trans-title=Marc Wilmots dismissed as coach Red Devils |language=nl |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20160715_02386343 |date=15 July 2016 |access-date=15 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721101418/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20160715_02386343 |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref> In the [[2018 FIFA World Cup qualification|2018 World Cup qualifying]] allocation, they were seeded first in their group,<ref name="draw format">{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2257685.html |title=FIFA World Cup qualifying draw format |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=16 June 2015 |access-date=21 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094547/http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D2257685.html |archive-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – July 2015 (UEFA) |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/uefa.html |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=9 July 2015 |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626094641/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/uefa.html |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> and made the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|final tournament]] under Spanish manager [[Roberto Martínez]], becoming the first European team besides hosts [[Russia national football team|Russia]] to do so.<ref>{{cite news |title=Greece 1–2 Belgium: Visitors become first European side to qualify for World Cup with win |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/greece-vs-belgium/report/350170 |access-date=3 September 2017 |publisher=[[Sky Sports]] |date=3 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904064646/http://www.skysports.com/football/greece-vs-belgium/report/350170 |archive-date=4 September 2017}}</ref> Belgium was eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual champions France, but won the third place play-off against [[England national football team|England]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Scott |last2=Andrews |first2=Kendra |last3=Flaherty |first3=14 July 2018 |title=Belgium claims third place at World Cup with a 2–0 win over England |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2018/07/14/belgium-vs-england-2018-world-cup-third-place-playoff/?noredirect=on |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920062217/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2018/07/14/belgium-vs-england-2018-world-cup-third-place-playoff/?noredirect=on |archive-date=20 September 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 16 November 2019, for the first time in its history the team topped the [[World Football Elo Ratings]], after a 1–4 away win over [[Russia national football team|Russia]] during the [[UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying|Euro 2020 qualifiers]].<ref name="World Football Elo Ratings" />

Despite the impressive form in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers as well as being regarded as the biggest contender for the European trophy, the [[UEFA Euro 2020|tournament]] became a complete disappointment for Belgium. Being drawn in [[UEFA Euro 2020|Group B]] alongside Russia, [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] and [[Finland national football team|Finland]], Belgium easily conquered the group with three wins.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51197540|title=Belgium's Lukaku in goal tribute to Eriksen|work=BBC Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/19692/12335073/denmark-1-2-belgium-kevin-de-bruyne-inspires-red-devils-to-victory-as-they-reach-last-16|title=Denmark 1-2 Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne inspires Red Devils to victory as they reach Euro 2020 last 16|website=Sky Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/euro-2020-live-score-finland-vs-belgium-can-kevin-de-bruyne-inspire-belgium-to-undefeated-run-in-group-b-101624280380073.html|title=Euro 2020 Highlights, Finland vs Belgium: Belgium beat Finland 2-0, finish at top position in Group B|date=21 June 2021|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> In the [[UEFA Euro 2020 knockout stage|knockout phase]], Belgium first faced reigning champions [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in the last sixteen and survived the scare with a thunder strike from [[Thorgan Hazard]] to give Belgium a 1–0 win.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/euro-2020/belgium-beat-reigning-champions-portugal-1-0-in-euro-2020/2287251|title=Belgium beat reigning champions Portugal 1-0 in Euro 2020|website=www.aa.com.tr}}</ref> In the quarter-finals, Belgium once again faced old foe Italy, but Belgium failed to take revenge for their 2016 loss, once again suffering a 1–2 defeat, with the goal being scored by [[Romelu Lukaku]], ending Belgium's campaign on a sad note.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51198657|title=Italy edge Belgium to set up Spain semi|work=BBC Sport }}</ref>

At the [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 World Cup]] in [[Qatar]], Belgium were drawn into [[2022 FIFA World Cup Group F|Group F]] alongside [[Croatia national football team|Croatia]], [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] and [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada]]. Despite starting their campaign well with a 1–0 victory over Canada, they then suffered a shock 2–0 defeat to Morocco, and following a 0–0 draw with Croatia in their final group game, Belgium were knocked out of the tournament at the group stages for the first time since [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Belgium knocked out of World Cup after goalless draw with Croatia as head coach Roberto Martinez steps down|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/01/football/belgium-croatia-group-f-world-cup-spt-intl|website=[[CNN]]|date=1 December 2022}}</ref> Following their elimination from the tournament, Martínez announced that he would be standing down as head coach after six years in charge of the national team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roberto Martínez Stands Down As Belgium Manager After World Cup Exit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/roberto-martinez-belgium-manager-croatia-b2237182.html?amp |website=The Independent |date=1 December 2022 }}</ref>

In February 2023, it was announced that [[Domenico Tedesco]] has been appointed as the new head coach of the Belgian national team, replacing Roberto Martinez on a contract lasting until the end of [[UEFA Euro 2024|Euro 2024]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tedesco appointed as Belgium boss |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64566792 |access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref> At the finals, Belgium were eliminated in the [[UEFA Euro 2024 knockout stage|round of 16]], losing 1–0 to France.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c25ln8kzdndt |title=France 1–0 Belgium |first=Gary |last=Rose |website=BBC Sport |date=1 July 2024 |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref>

==Team image==
===Kits===
{{Commons|Belgium national football team kits}}
{{See also|History of the Belgium national football team#Kit history|l1=Kit history}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = Belgium football lion crest.png
| alt1              = Stylised lion emblem (1948–80)
| image2            = RBFA-logo-1981-2019.svg
| alt2              = RFBA emblem (1980–2019)
| footer            = Former crests with stylised lion emblem (1948–80) and RFBA emblem (1980–2019)
}}

In home matches, the team's [[Glossary of association football terms#O|outfield player]]s traditionally wear the colours of the [[Flag of Belgium|Belgian flag]]: black, yellow and red.<ref>{{cite web |title=Belgium |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/be.html |publisher=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] |date=6 June 2009 |access-date=3 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920062449/https://www.fotw.info/flags/be.html |archive-date=20 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="HistFK1">{{cite web |title=fifa world cup 1930 group 4 |publisher=Historical Football Kits |url=http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/international/tournaments/fifa-world-cup/1930/1930-group-d.html |access-date=10 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408224335/http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/international/tournaments/fifa-world-cup/1930/1930-group-d.html |archive-date=8 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="GOAAAL80"/> Red dominates the strip and is often the sole jersey colour.<ref name="HistFK1"/><ref name="GOAAAL80"/> The [[away colours]] are usually white, black or both;<ref name="GOAAAL">{{cite web |url=http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1920 |title=Goaaal! Fotomontage Rode Duivels |trans-title=Goaaal! Photo gallery Red Devils |language=nl |publisher=[[State Archives in Belgium|Belgian State Archives]] |access-date=20 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095319/http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1920 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> in 2014, the squad introduced a third, yellow kit.<ref name="WC2014shirts">{{cite news |title=Met deze shirts spelen Rode Duivels op het WK |trans-title=Red Devils play at the WC in these shirts |first=Maarten |last=Delvaux |language=nl |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140227_019 |date=27 February 2014 |access-date=3 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095414/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140227_019 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> Their shirts are often trimmed with ''tricolores'' at the margins.<ref name="GOAAAL80">{{cite web |url=http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1980 |title=Goaaal! Fotomontage Rode Duivels – 1980 |trans-title=Goaaal! Photo gallery Red Devils – 1980 |language=nl |publisher=[[State Archives in Belgium|Belgian State Archives]] |access-date=20 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095623/http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1980 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="GOAAAL70" >{{cite web |url=http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1970 |title=Goaaal! Fotomontage Rode Duivels – 1970 |trans-title=Goaaal! Photo gallery Red Devils – 1970 |language=nl |publisher=[[State Archives in Belgium|Belgian State Archives]] |access-date=20 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095520/http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=1970 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> Since 1981, the RBFA emblem has been the national team's badge;<ref name="GOAAAL80"/><ref name="fotocoll81">{{cite web |title=Voetbal: Nederland- België 3–0 |trans-title=Football: The Netherlands-Belgium 3–0 |url=http://www.gahetna.nl/collectie/afbeeldingen/fotocollectie/zoeken/weergave/detail/start/0/tstart/0/q/zoekterm/belgi%C3%AB%20voetbal%201981 |language=nl |publisher=gahetNA (Genootschap voor het Nationaal Archief, het [[Nationaal Archief]], [[Spaarnestad Photo]])|access-date=7 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095711/http://www.gahetna.nl/collectie/afbeeldingen/fotocollectie/zoeken/weergave/detail/start/0/tstart/0/q/zoekterm/belgi%C3%AB%20voetbal%201981 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> the previous badge was a yellow lion on a black shield,<ref name="HistFK1"/><ref name="GOAAAL80"/> similar to the escutcheon of the [[Coat of arms of Belgium|national coat of arms]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/belgium_in_nutshell/symbols/coats_of_arms/ |title=Heraldic emblem and motto |publisher=[[Federal Government of Belgium|Belgian Federal Government]] |access-date=31 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920062634/https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/belgium_in_nutshell/symbols/coats_of_arms |archive-date=20 September 2020}}</ref> On 8 November 2019, the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] revealed a new logo, which preserved the main elements of the previous one: the royal crown, the [[wreath]] and the Belgian tricolor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.footyheadlines.com/2019/06/all-new-belgium-logo.html |title=All-New Belgium Logo Revealed – 2020 Kit Debut Imminent |date=8 November 2019 |website=Footy Headlines |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726185533/https://www.footyheadlines.com/2019/06/all-new-belgium-logo.html |archive-date=26 July 2020 |access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref>

For their first unofficial match in 1901, the Belgian team wore white jerseys with tricoloured bands on the upper arms.{{sfn|Fraiponts|Willocx|2003}} Around their third unofficial match in 1902, the choice was made for a "shirt with national colours&nbsp;... [that would indicate,] with a stripe, the number of times every player has participated in an encounter".{{sfn|Hubert|1980|p=12}} Since 1904, Belgium's classic all-red jersey design has been altered twice. In 1904–05, the squad briefly wore satin shirts with three horizontal bands in red, yellow and black; according to sports journalist [[Victor Boin]], the shirts set "the ugliness record".{{sfn|Boin|1945}} During the 1970s, manager Raymond Goethals chose an all-white combination to improve the team's visibility during evening matches.<ref name="WhiteDevil">{{cite news |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst23052002_100 |title=WK-geschiedenis. 1970. Witte Duivels smelten weg in Mexico |trans-title=WC history. 1970. White Devils melt away in Mexico |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first=Bart |last=Lagae |language=nl |date=23 May 2002 |access-date=26 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095901/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst23052002_100 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="bruzzz"/>

Six clothing manufacturers have supplied the official team strip. [[Adidas]] is the producer since 2014,<ref>{{cite news |title=New Adidas Belgium 2014–15 Kits Released |publisher=Footy Headlines |url=http://www.footyheadlines.com/2014/08/new-adidas-belgium-2014-15-kits.html |date=14 August 2014 |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626095944/http://www.footyheadlines.com/2014/08/new-adidas-belgium-2014-15-kits.html |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> and closed a sponsorship deal with the RBFA until 2026;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2020/09/02/adidas-is-nog-minstens-6-jaar-kledingsponsor-van-de-rode-duivels~1599035462930/ |title=Adidas is nog minstens 6 jaar kledingsponsor van de Rode Duivels |trans-title=Adidas remains the clothing sponsor of the Red Devils for at least 6 years |language=nl |access-date=2 September 2020 |publisher=[[Sporza]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920063334/https://sporza.be/nl/2020/09/02/adidas-is-nog-minstens-6-jaar-kledingsponsor-van-de-rode-duivels~1599035462930/ |archive-date=20 September 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> it was also the supplier from 1974 to 1980, and from 1982 to 1991.<ref name="sponsortimeline"/> Former kit manufacturers are [[Umbro]] (early 1970s),<ref name="bruzzz">{{cite web |url=http://www.bruzz.be/nl/nieuws/rode-duivels-witte-engelen |title=Rode Duivels, witte engelen |trans-title=Red Devils, white angels |language=nl |publisher=BRUZZZ |date=5 June 2014 |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721103441/http://www.bruzz.be/nl/nieuws/rode-duivels-witte-engelen |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="sponsortimeline"/> [[Admiral Sportswear|Admiral]] (1981–1982),{{efn|Even in their last match of 1980, against Cyprus on 21 December, Belgium played in an Adidas outfit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.video.sporza.be/cm/sporza.mobile.video/1.2283869 |title=1980: België klopt Cyprus met 0–2 |trans-title=1980: Belgium beats Cyprus 0–2 |language=nl |access-date=28 October 2016 |publisher=[[Sporza]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029044616/http://m.video.sporza.be/cm/sporza.mobile.video/1.2283869 |archive-date=29 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This suggests that Admiral's sponsorship started in 1981, contrary to what the 2014 article stated.}}<ref name="sponsortimeline">{{cite news |title=Adidas na WK wellicht nieuwe kledingsponsor Duivels |trans-title=Adidas likely new Devils clothing sponsor after WC |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |first=Ludo |last=Vandewalle |language=nl |date=24 May 2014 |access-date=9 May 2015 |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20140523_01117328 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626100118/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20140523_01117328 |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> [[Diadora]] (1992–1999),<ref name="sponsortimeline"/> [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] (1999–2010) and Burrda (2010–2014).{{efn|The timeline in the 2014 overview article stated the switch from Diadora to Nike happened in 1998. However, the 1999 article focused on this kit sponsor change which took place in mid-1999.}}<ref name="sponsortimeline"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Rode Duivels in "rood, klassiek en rustig" shirt |trans-title=Red Devils in "red, classic and serene" shirt |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first=Sander |last=Van den Broecke |language=nl |date=1 July 1999 |access-date=8 July 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst9907010068 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112173027/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst9907010068 |archive-date=12 November 2013}}</ref>
[[File:The Belgium national team line-up before the match against Brazil, 6 July 2018.jpg|thumb|260px|Traditional red home jersey during the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 World Cup]] where the team finished third.]]
{| class="wikitable"
! Kit supplier
! Period
|-
|{{flagicon|UK}} [[Umbro]]
| Early 1970s
|-
|{{flagicon|FRG}} [[Adidas]]
|1974–1981
|-
|{{flagicon|UK}} [[Admiral Sportswear|Admiral]]
|1981–1982
|-
|{{flagicon|GER}} Adidas
|1982–1991
|-
|{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Diadora]]
|1992–1999
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|1999–2010
|-
|{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Burrda Sport|Burrda]]
|2010–2014
|-
|{{flagicon|GER}} Adidas
|2014–present
|}

===Media coverage===
[[File:Gust De Muynck Belgium-Netherlands 1931.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Gust De Muynck's live coverage during Belgium–Netherlands in 1931|alt=Journalist, seated in the stands and speaking into a microphone]]

The first live coverage of a Belgian sporting event occurred on 3 May 1931, when journalist [[Gust De Muynck]] commentated on the football match between Belgium and the Netherlands on radio.<ref>{{cite web |title=Archiefmeester: Radio & voetbal |trans-title=Archive master: Radio & football |publisher=[[Radio 1 (Belgium)|Radio 1]] |language=nl |date=16 March 2014 |access-date=13 April 2014 |url=http://old.radio1.be/programmas/nele-radioland/archiefmeester-radio-voetbal-0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628194728/http://old.radio1.be/programmas/nele-radioland/archiefmeester-radio-voetbal-0 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> Later, football broadcasts were also televised. As 60 per cent of Belgians speak Dutch and 40 per cent French,<ref name="CIA-Bel">{{cite web |title=The World Factbook – Europe – Belgium |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |date=30 June 2016 |access-date=10 July 2016 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belgium/ }}</ref> commentaries for the national team matches are provided in both languages. The matches are not broadcast in German—Belgium's third official language.<ref name="CIA-Bel"/> During Belgium's tournament appearances in the 1980s and the early 1990s, [[Rik De Saedeleer]] crowned himself the nation's most famous football commentator with his emotional and humorous reports.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rik, de dertiende man van de Rode Duivels |trans-title=Rik, the thirteenth man of the Red Devils |newspaper=[[Het Laatste Nieuws]] |language=nl |first=Joeri |last=Vlemings |date=5 March 2013 |access-date=29 May 2014 |url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/944/Celebrities/article/detail/1590983/2013/03/05/Rik-de-dertiende-man-van-de-Rode-Duivels.dhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628194835/http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/944/Celebrities/article/detail/1590983/2013/03/05/Rik-de-dertiende-man-van-de-Rode-Duivels.dhtml |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>

Initially the matches were transmitted mainly on public television channels: the former BRTN (now [[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie|VRT]]) in Dutch, and the [[RTBF]] in French. Since 1994, commercial channels such as [[VTM (TV channel)|vtm]] and its sister channel [[VTM 2|Kanaal 2]], and [[Play4 (TV channel)|VIER]] in [[Flanders]], have purchased broadcasting rights.<ref name="RBFAhist">{{cite web |title=The RBFA's History |publisher=[[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]] |access-date=9 May 2014 |url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/rbfas-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628194935/http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/rbfas-history |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> The Euro 2016 [[UEFA Euro 2016 knockout phase#Hungary vs Belgium|round-of-16 match against Hungary]] was the most-watched programme in Belgian television history, with an audience of over four million viewers out of 11.3 million Belgian citizens.<ref name="CIA-Bel"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Opnieuw gigantisch hoge kijkcijfers voor wedstrijd van Rode Duivels |trans-title=Again high viewer numbers for Red Devils match |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl |date=27 June 2016 |access-date=27 August 2016 |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20160627_02358622 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827095206/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20160627_02358622 |archive-date=27 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kijkcijferrecord EK Rode Duivels verbroken |trans-title=Viewer record Red Devils' EC broken |publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie|VRT]] |language=nl |date=1 August 2016 |access-date=27 August 2016 |url=http://www.vrt.be/nieuws/2016/08/kijkcijferrecord-ek-rode-duivels-verbroken |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827095249/http://www.vrt.be/nieuws/2016/08/kijkcijferrecord-ek-rode-duivels-verbroken |archive-date=27 August 2016}}</ref>

In April 2014, the VRT started transmitting a nine-piece, behind-the-scenes documentary about the national team filmed during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, titled ''Iedereen Duivel'' (''Everybody Devil'').<ref>{{cite news |title=Nieuwe Vrt-reeks kijkt mee achter de schermen van de Rode Duivels |trans-title=New Vrt series watches behind the scenes of the Red Devils |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |date=3 April 2014|access-date=3 April 2014 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140403_01053428 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195157/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140403_01053428 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> Cable broadband provider [[Telenet (provider)|Telenet]] broadcast an eight-part documentary about individual players titled ''Rode Helden'' (''Red Heroes'').<ref>{{cite news |title=Docureeks 'Rode Helden' op Sporting Telenet |trans-title=Documentary series 'Red Heroes' on Sporting Telenet |publisher=[[Telenet (Belgium)|Telenet]] |language=nl |date=25 April 2014 |access-date=17 May 2014 |url=http://corporate.telenet.be/nl/nieuws-en-media/persberichten/docureeks-rode-helden-op-sporting-telenet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920064501/https://press.telenet.be/docureeks-rode-helden-op-sporting-telenet |archive-date=20 September 2020}}</ref>

===Side activities===
[[File:France-Belgium 1918-04-21.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Illustration of Belgium's game against France in April 1918: some of such unofficial wartime matches served as charity fundraisers.|alt=Old cartoon of an association football match with the goalkeeper in the middle who jumps and hits the ball]]
Multiple events were organised for the fans during the squad's peak popularity in the 2010s. During the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, a string of interactive events called the ''Devil Challenges'' were organised.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Challenges |publisher=IAB Community |url=http://www.iab-community.be/cases/the-challenges-de-duiveluitdagingen-les-dzfis-des-diables/ |access-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195326/http://www.iab-community.be/cases/the-challenges-de-duiveluitdagingen-les-dzfis-des-diables/ |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> The premise was that small groups of international players would do a favour in return for each of the five comprehensive chores their supporters completed ("colour Belgium red", "gather 500,000 decibels", etc.), all of which were accomplished.<ref>{{cite web |title=Duiveluitdagingen stuwen Duivels naar Brazilië |trans-title=Devil Challenges push Devils to Brazil |publisher=[[Sporza]] |language=nl |date=15 October 2013 |access-date=5 May 2015 |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/extra/deduiveluitdagingen/1.1754902 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195430/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/extra/deduiveluitdagingen/1.1754902 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> In June 2013, the Belgian national team's first ever Fan Day attracted over 20,000 supporters;<ref name="HLN020613">{{cite news |title=Groot succes: 20.000 fans op eerste fandag Rode Duivels |trans-title=Great success: 20,000 fans on first fan day Red Devils |newspaper=[[Het Laatste Nieuws]] |language=nl |date=2 June 2013 |access-date=30 June 2013 |url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/16076/De-Rode-Duivels/article/detail/1644543/2013/06/02/Groot-succes-20-000-fans-op-eerste-fandag-Rode-Duivels.dhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195538/http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/16076/De-Rode-Duivels/article/detail/1644543/2013/06/02/Groot-succes-20-000-fans-op-eerste-fandag-Rode-Duivels.dhtml |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> a second was held after the 2014 World Cup.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rode Duivels bedanken 'beste supporters ter wereld' met fandag |trans-title=Red Devils thank 'best supporters in the world' with fan day |first1=Kim |last1=De Raedt |first2=Lin |last2=Louage |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |date=6 July 2014 |access-date=6 July 2014 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140706_01168643 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195633/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140706_01168643 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> On the days of Belgium's 2014 World Cup group matches, large dance events titled ''Dance with the Devils'' took place in three Belgian cities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dance with the Devils op 17, 22 en 26 juni |trans-title=Dance with the Devils on 17, 22 and 26 June |publisher=[[Sportpaleis]] |language=nl |date=14 February 2014 |access-date=5 May 2015 |url=https://www.sportpaleis.be/nl/news/view/2014-02-14/dance_with_the_devils_op_17_22_en_26_juni |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811161753/http://www.sportpaleis.be/nl/news/view/2014-02-14/dance_with_the_devils_op_17_22_en_26_juni |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2014}}</ref> This type of happening was repeated during Belgium's Euro 2016 group matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lotto-arena.be/nl/kalender/2016-2017/dance-with-the-devils |title=Dance With The Devils |language=nl |publisher= [[Lotto Arena]] |access-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628195831/http://www.lotto-arena.be/nl/kalender/2016-2017/dance-with-the-devils |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>

Occasionally, the Belgian team directly supported charity. Between 1914 and 1941 they played at least five unofficial matches of which the returns were for charitable purposes: two against France,<ref name="DT210316"/><ref name="FraBelWWIa">{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=MMSAEN01%3A000044842%3Ampeg21%3Aa0027 |newspaper=Twentsch dagblad Tubantia |via=[[Delpher]] |title=Frankrijk–België (0–1) |trans-title=France–Belgium (0–1) |language=nl |date=21 December 1914 |access-date=23 July 2016}}</ref> and three against the Netherlands.<ref name="DerbyBelNed"/><ref name="BelNed1941">{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A011221616%3Ampeg21%3Aa0104 |newspaper=[[Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad]] |via=[[Delpher]] |title=Rond den Wedstrijd Holland – België |trans-title=About the game Holland – Belgium |language=nl |date=3 February 1941 |access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref> In mid-1986, when the Belgian delegation reached the Mexico World Cup semi-finals, the squad started a project titled Casa Hogar, an idea of delegation leader [[Michel D'Hooghe]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/1998/junio/22/deportes17.html |title=Bélgica en el alma |trans-title=Belgium in the soul |language=es |newspaper=[[La Nación (San José)|La Nación]] |first=Adolfo |last=Garza |date=22 June 1998 |access-date=30 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121083620/http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/1998/junio/22/deportes17.html |archive-date=21 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Casa Hogar is a home for street children in the Mexican industrial city of [[Toluca]], to which the footballers donated part of their tournament bonuses.<ref>{{cite news |title=Retro. Ceulemans: 'Voor mij blijft EK 80 het hoogtepunt' |trans-title=Retro. Ceulemans: 'EC 80 is still the summit for me' |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |first=François |last=Colin |language=nl |date=10 June 2011 |access-date=21 November 2015 |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/9e3b7f4r |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924204941/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/9e3b7f4r |archive-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> In August 2013, the national team supported four social projects through the charity fund Football+ Foundation, by playing an A-match with a plus sign on the shoulders of their jerseys and auctioning the shirts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bied op de wedstrijdshirts van België-Frankrijk |trans-title=Place a bid on the match shirts of Belgium-France |publisher=[[RBFA]] |language=nl |date=8 August 2013 |access-date=15 August 2013 |url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/nieuws/bied-op-de-wedstrijdshirts-van-belgi%C3%AB-frankrijk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200104/http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/nieuws/bied-op-de-wedstrijdshirts-van-belgi%C3%AB-frankrijk |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>

In the 21st century, several national team players acted up against discrimination. In 2002, the national squad held its first anti-[[Racism in association football|racism]] campaign in which they posed with slogans.<ref>{{cite web |title=Goaaal! Voetbalaffiches |trans-title=Goaaal! Football posters |language=nl |url=http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=affiches |publisher=[[RBFA]] |access-date=14 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200238/http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=affiches |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> A home Euro 2012 qualifier was given the theme of respect for [[cultural diversity|diversity]] in 2010; this UEFA-supported action was part of the European [[Fare network|FARE]] Action Week.<ref>{{cite news |title=European Action Week against discrimination in football to kick off next week |date=8 October 2010 |access-date=27 July 2013 |url=http://fairplay.vidc.org/en/fairplay-news/single-view/article/die-europaeische-fare-aktionswoche-gegen-diskriminierung-im-fussball-wird-naechste-woche-angepfiffen/ |publisher=Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200322/http://fairplay.vidc.org/en/fairplay-news/single-view/article/die-europaeische-fare-aktionswoche-gegen-diskriminierung-im-fussball-wird-naechste-woche-angepfiffen/ |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> Ex-Red Devil [[Dimitri Mbuyu]]—the first black Belgium player (in 1987)<ref name="AllRedD">{{cite web |url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/national-teams/red-devils/all-red-devils |publisher=[[RBFA]] |title=All Red Devils |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://sportmagazine.knack.be/sport/voetbal-nationaal/mununga-ik-was-te-naief/article-normal-162603.html |journal=Sport/Voetbalmagazine |publisher=[[Roularta Media Group]] |location=Roeselare |first=Pierre |last=Danvoye |language=nl |title=Mununga: 'Ik was te naïef' |trans-title=Mununga: 'I was too naive' |date=2 July 2013 |access-date=14 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200605/http://sportmagazine.knack.be/sport/voetbal-nationaal/mununga-ik-was-te-naief/article-normal-162603.html |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>—was engaged as godfather, and other foreign, current, and former footballers who played in the [[Belgian Pro League|Belgian top division]] participated.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/detail_les-diables-contre-le-racisme?id=3745713 |title=Les Diables contre le racisme |trans-title=The Devils against racism |publisher=[[RTBF]] |language=fr |date=11 October 2010 |access-date=24 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200714/http://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/detail_les-diables-contre-le-racisme?id=3745713 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> In 2018, four national team players spoke up against [[Violence against LGBT people|homophobic violence]], in a video clip made by organisation [[Kick It Out (organisation)|Kick It Out]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20180227_03380486 |title=Rode Duivels strijden mee tegen homofoob geweld |trans-title=Red Devils join the fight against homophobic violence |language=nl |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |author=vva |date=27 February 2018 |access-date=3 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227183153/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20180227_03380486 |archive-date=27 February 2018 }}</ref>

===Nickname, logo and mascot===
After a 1905 match, a Dutch reporter wrote that three Belgian footballers "work[ed] as devils".<ref name="RN160505">{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010213644:mpeg21:p006 |newspaper=[[Algemeen Dagblad|Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad]] |via=[[Delpher]] |title=Den wedstrijd om den Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad-Beker |trans-title=The match for the Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad Cup |language=nl |date=16 May 1905 |access-date=17 May 2015}}</ref> A year later [[Léopold FC]] manager Pierre Walckiers nicknamed the players Red Devils, inspired by their jersey colour, and the achievement of three successive victories in 1906.{{sfn|Guldemont|Deps|1995|p=65}}<ref name="results" /> Because of their white home shirts in the 1970s, they were temporarily known as the White Devils.<ref name="WhiteDevil" /> Since 2012, the team logo is a red trident (or three-pronged pitchfork),<ref>{{cite news |title=Bob Madou doet duivelse marketingstrategie uit de doeken |trans-title=Bob Madou reveals devilish marketing strategy |publisher=voka.be |language=nl |date=17 May 2016 |url=https://www.voka.be/limburg/nieuws/2016/5/bob-madou-doet-duivelse-marketingstrategie-uit-de-doeken/ |access-date=28 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628203546/http://www.voka.be/limburg/nieuws/2016/5/bob-madou-doet-duivelse-marketingstrategie-uit-de-doeken/ |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> an item that is often associated with the devil.{{sfn|Russell|1987|p=129}} Apart from that, the national squad has also had four official [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphous]] mascots. The first was a lion in team kit named Diabolix,<ref name="mascot"/> a reference to the central symbol in the Belgian coat of arms that appeared on the team jerseys from 1905 to 1980.<ref name="GOAAAL80"/><ref name="fotocoll1905">{{cite web |title=Fotocollectie – Evenals 74 jaar geleden speelt het Nederlands voetbalelftal a.s. woensdag tegen&nbsp;... |trans-title=Photo collection – Just like 74 years ago the Dutch eleven play upcoming Wednesday against&nbsp;... |url=http://www.gahetna.nl/collectie/afbeeldingen/fotocollectie/zoeken/weergave/detail/start/0/tstart/0/q/zoekterm/belgi%C3%AB%201905 |language=nl |publisher=gahetNA (Genootschap voor het Nationaal Archief, het [[Nationaal Archief]], [[Spaarnestad Photo]]) |access-date=17 July 2016}}</ref> In accordance with their epithet, the next mascots were a red super-devil and two fan-made modern devils; the most recent one, since 2018, was named "Red".<ref name="mascot">{{cite news |title=Nieuwe mascotte voor Rode Duivels |trans-title=New mascot for Red Devils |author=mcu |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl |date=6 February 2007 |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/b367254070206 |access-date=3 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924210421/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/b367254070206 |archive-date=24 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="mascot2">{{cite web |title=VIDEO: Nieuwe mascotte Rode Duivels uitgebroed, het is een... rode duivel |trans-title=VIDEO: New mascot Red Devils hatched, it is a ... red devil |publisher=[[Sporza]] |language=nl |date=14 March 2018 |url=http://archief.sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.3163364 |access-date=3 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603084010/http://archief.sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.3163364 |archive-date=3 June 2018}}</ref>

===Supporters===
{{quote box |width=250px |bgcolor=#c6dbf7 |align=left |quote="Cycling is the traditional national sport of Belgium, but soccer is the most popular." |source=—Historian Richard Henshaw, 1979{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=75}} }}

Fans of the Belgian national team display the country's tricolour national flag, usually with an emphasis on the red element. In 2012, local supporter clubs merged into one large Belgian federation named "1895" after the foundation year of the RBFA. One year later, 1895 had 24,000 members.<ref>{{cite news |title=1895, een gigantisch succes |trans-title=1895, a gigantic success |language=nl |date=24 June 2013 |url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/nieuws/1895-een-gigantisch-succes |publisher=[[RBFA]] |access-date=9 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200800/http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/nieuws/1895-een-gigantisch-succes |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> The nationwide interest in the football squad has also been reflected by the occasional presence of [[Monarchy of Belgium|Belgian monarch]]s at their matches since 1914.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A010295448%3Ampeg21%3Aa0029 |title=Sport |trans-title=Sports |newspaper=[[Algemeen Dagblad|Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad]] |via=[[Delpher]] |language=nl |date=26 February 1914 |access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gva.be/cnt/aid1399751/ook-koning-albert-naar-de-heizel |title=Ook koning Albert vanavond naar de Heizel |trans-title=King Albert also at the Heysel this evening |language=nl |newspaper=[[Gazet van Antwerpen]] |first=F. |last=Vranckx |date=7 June 2013 |access-date=8 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200853/http://www.gva.be/cnt/aid1399751/ook-koning-albert-naar-de-heizel |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/matchcenter/mc_voetbal/voorronde_EK_2016_rode_duivels/MG_groep_B_speeldag_7/1.2428852 |title=Rode Duivels staan op tegen Bosnië-Herzegovina |trans-title=Red Devils arise against Bosnia-Herzegovina |language=nl |publisher=[[Sporza]] |date=3 September 2015 |access-date=8 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628200944/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/matchcenter/mc_voetbal/voorronde_EK_2016_rode_duivels/MG_groep_B_speeldag_7/1.2428852 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> One of the greatest moments for the Belgian team and their [[12th man (football)|12th man]] was in mid-1986 when the Belgian delegation at the Mexico World Cup received a warm "welcome home". When the World Cup semi-finalists appeared on the balcony of [[Brussels Town Hall]], the adjoining Grand Place square was filled with an ecstatic crowd that cheered as though their squad had won a major tournament.<ref>{{cite web |title=België trakteert zijn helden op een volksfeest |trans-title=Belgium treats its heroes with a national feast |language=nl |date=20 June 2011 |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.1043863 |publisher=[[Sporza]] |access-date=30 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628201044/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.1043863 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>

[[File:ENG-BEL (12).jpg|260px|thumb|Crowd of Belgian fans in [[Kaliningrad Stadium]] at the 2018 World Cup|alt=About a hundred Belgian football wearing mainly red shirts sitting in the stadium]]

The team's deterioration after the 2002 World Cup lead to their absence from the end stages of the next five major tournament, and strained their popularity. Between 2004 and 2010, local journalists called the Belgian footballing nation "mortally ill".<ref>{{cite web |title=Ons voetballand is doodziek |trans-title=Our footballing nation is terminally ill |publisher=sport.be.msn.com |first=Bennie |last=Luyten |language=nl |date=18 November 2004 |access-date=18 July 2013 |url=http://www.sport.be/nl/voetbal/rodeduivels/article.html?Article_ID=64879 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701153705/http://www.sport.be/nl/voetbal/rodeduivels/article.html?Article_ID=64879 |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Advocaat laat Rode Duivels doodziek achter |trans-title=Advocaat leaves Red Devils terminally ill |website=belgiumsoccer.be |language=nl |date=15 April 2010 |access-date=18 July 2013 |url=http://www.belgiumsoccer.be/nieuws/lees/2010-04-15/advocaat-laat-rode-duivels-doodziek-achter |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112173232/http://www.belgiumsoccer.be/nieuws/lees/2010-04-15/advocaat-laat-rode-duivels-doodziek-achter |archive-date=12 November 2013}}</ref> Of the fans that kept supporting their squad in bad times, Ludo Rollenberg was one of the most loyal. He attended the team's matches worldwide since 1990, missing only the 1999 Japanese [[Kirin Cup Soccer|Kirin Cup]] and two other matches by 2006,<ref>{{cite news |title=De enige echte fan van België |trans-title=Belgium's only real fan |newspaper=[[Algemeen Dagblad]] |language=nl |date=5 October 2006 |access-date=30 June 2013 |url=http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1001/Sportwereld/article/detail/2331576/2006/10/05/De-enige-echte-fan-van-Belgie.dhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628201355/http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1001/Sportwereld/article/detail/2331576/2006/10/05/De-enige-echte-fan-van-Belgie.dhtml |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> and was the only supporter to attend their matches in Armenia in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=De eenzame Duivels-supporter |trans-title=The lonesome Devils supporter |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first=Ludo |last=Vandewalle |language=nl |date=9 September 2009 |access-date=30 June 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/VH2ESCQ2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924210700/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/VH2ESCQ2 |archive-date=24 September 2020}}</ref>

Just before the kick-off of a 2014 World Cup home qualifier, Belgium's footballers saw a first [[tifo]] banner, sized {{Convert|10.5 by 11.5|metres|feet}} depicting a devil in the national colours.<ref>{{cite news |title=De Rode Duivels zien vanavond hun eerste tifo |trans-title=The Red Devils see their first tifo tonight |publisher=[[Sporza]] |language=nl |date=6 June 2013 |access-date=4 July 2013 |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2013/06/06/de-rode-duivels-zien-vanavond-hun-eerste-tifo-1-1648955/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924211121/https://sporza.be/nl/2013/06/06/de-rode-duivels-zien-vanavond-hun-eerste-tifo-1-1648955/ |archive-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> The presence of many Belgian players in top leagues abroad, such as the [[Premier League]],{{sfn|Willems|2013}} and promising results under Marc Wilmots, increased fans' enthusiasm and belief in a successful World Cup campaign.<ref name="HLN020613"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/81443/Peiling:_Rode_Duivels_raken_tot_in_kwartfinales |title=Peiling: 'Rode Duivels raken tot in kwartfinales' |trans-title=Opinion poll: 'Red Devils reach the quarter finals' |language=nl |website=voetbalnieuws.be |date=17 October 2013 |access-date=22 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628201540/http://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/81443/Peiling%3A_Rode_Duivels_raken_tot_in_kwartfinales |archive-date=28 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Because of this popularity peak, two Belgian monuments were decorated in national colours for the 2014 FIFA World Cup event; the [[Manneken Pis]] statue received a child-sized version of the new Belgian uniform,<ref>{{cite news |title=Manneken Pis in WK-shirt Rode Duivels |trans-title=Manneken Pis in Red Devils WC shirt |language=nl |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140307_01013684 |date=7 March 2014 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628201644/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140307_01013684 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> and facets of the [[Atomium]]'s upper sphere were covered in black, yellow and red vinyl.<ref>{{cite news |title=Atomium-bol in zwart, geel en rood |trans-title=Atomium sphere in black, yellow and red |first=Lin |last=Louage |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |date=13 June 2014 |access-date=14 June 2014 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140613_01139183 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628201835/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140613_01139183 |archive-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>

===Rivalries===
{{See also|Low Countries derby}}
[[File:1905RNBmoment(2).jpg|thumb|260px|right|upright=1.3|Illustration of a Netherlands–Belgium cup match at Rotterdam's Schuttersveld pitch in 1905|alt=Match phase with two outfield players from each side]]
Belgium's main football rivals are its neighbors [[Netherlands national football team|the Netherlands]] and [[France national football team|France]], with which it shares close cultural and political relations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.government.nl/topics/international-relations/contents/belgium |title=Relations to the Netherlands – Belgium |publisher=[[Politics of the Netherlands|Government of the Netherlands]] |access-date=20 August 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/belgique/la-france-et-la-belgique/ |title=La France et la Belgique |trans-title=France and Belgium |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (France)|France Diplomatie]] |language=fr |access-date=22 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629063055/http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/belgique/la-france-et-la-belgique/ |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> The matchup between the Belgian and [[Netherlands national football team|Dutch team]] is known as the Low Countries [[Glossary of association football terms#D|derby]], {{as of|2018|05|lc=y}} they have played each other in 126 official matches.<ref name="DerbyBelNed"/><ref name="FIFAcomp"/>  Belgium won the first four—unofficial—matches against the Netherlands,{{sfn|Hubert|1980|p=12}} but lost their first FIFA-recognised contest.<ref name="results"/> The two national teams played each other biannually between 1905 and 1964, except during the World Wars.<ref name="results"/> They have met 18 times in major tournament campaigns, and have played at least [[Low Countries derby#Belgium vs. Netherlands Cups|35 friendly cup matches]]: in Belgium for the ''Coupe Vanden Abeele'', and in the Netherlands for the ''Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad-Beker''.<ref name="TrouwCVA"/><ref name="RN160505"/> The overall balance favours the Netherlands, with 55 wins against 41 Belgian victories.<ref name="FIFAcomp"/> The Low Countries' squads co-operated in fundraising initiatives between 1925 and 1941; they played five unofficial matches for charity, FIFA and the Belgian Olympic Committee.<ref name="DerbyBelNed">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/belnedres.html |title=The "Derby der Lage Landen" |first=Karel |last=Stokkermans |date=6 March 2014 |access-date=16 May 2014 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629063447/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/belnedres.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="BelNed1941"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:011109369:mpeg21:a0205 |title=De extra België-Holland-wedstrijd. |trans-title=The extra Belgium-Holland game. |newspaper=[[Soerabaijasch Handelsblad]] |via=[[Delpher]] |date=26 April 1932 |access-date=25 May 2015 |language=nl}}</ref>

The clash between the Belgian and [[France national football team|French]] sides is nicknamed ''le Match Sympathique'' in French ("the Friendly Match");<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nrc.nl/handelsblad/1999/12/11/de-rode-duivels-7474159 |title=De Rode Duivels |trans-title=The Red Devils |language=nl |newspaper=[[NRC Handelsblad]] |first=Guus |last=Van Holland |date=11 December 1999 |access-date=20 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629063150/http://www.nrc.nl/handelsblad/1999/12/11/de-rode-duivels-7474159 |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> they have contested 74 official matches {{as of|2020|09|lc=y}}.<ref name="FIFAcomp">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/teams/compare.html |title=FIFA Tournaments – Compare Teams |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=4 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629063408/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/teams/compare.html |archive-date=29 June 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The first match between Belgium and France, the ''Évence Coppée'' Trophy played in 1904, was the first official match for both teams and the first official football match between independent countries on the European continent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/belfrares.html |title=The "match sympatique" [sic] |first=Karel |last=Stokkermans |date=6 March 2014 |access-date=28 June 2014 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629075637/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/belfrares.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> Until 1967, the sides met almost annually.<ref name="results" /> As of September 2020, Belgium have the better record, with 30 wins to France's 25,<ref name="FIFAcomp"/> and France has played most often against Belgium in international football.<ref name="FIFAcomp"/>

==Stadium==
{{Main|Belgium national football team home stadium|King Baudouin Stadium}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = horizontal
| image1            = JubileeStadium1935.jpg
| width1            = 260
| alt1              = Aerial photo of packed stadium
| image2            = Stade Roi Baudouin.JPG
| width2            = 218
| alt2              = Stadium interior, photographed from the grandstand
| footer            = The Jubilee Stadium on the [[Heysel Plateau]] in 1935 (left) and the [[King Baudouin Stadium]] in 2013 (right)
}}

Numerous former and current [[Belgium national football team home stadium#List of home stadiums|venues in 11 urban areas]] have hosted Belgium's home matches.<ref name="results"/> Most of these matches have been played in [[Brussels]] on the [[Heysel Plateau]], on the site of the present-day [[King Baudouin Stadium]]—a multipurpose facility with a seating capacity of 50,122.<ref>{{cite web |title=History King Baudouin Stadium |publisher=[[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]] |access-date=9 May 2015 |url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/history-king-baudouin-stadium |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626115747/http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/history-king-baudouin-stadium |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> Its field also hosts the team's final trainings before domestic matches. Since 2007, most physical preparation takes place at the National Football Centre in [[Tubize]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Duivels trainen voor het eerst in Tubeke |trans-title=Devils train for the first time in Tubeke |first=Ludo |last=Vandewalle |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |date=4 September 2007 |access-date=18 May 2015 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/501gpofb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626115835/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/501gpofb |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> or at [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]'s training ground in the [[Anderlecht|Neerpede]] quarter.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/dmf20130323_052 |title=Rode Duivels trainen ontspannen in Neerpede |trans-title=Red Devils train relaxed in Neerpede |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |author=arvn |language=nl |date=23 March 2013 |access-date=31 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920063701/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20130323_052 |archive-date=20 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20150831_01841778 |title=Bosniërs trainen al eerste keer op Belgische bodem |trans-title=Bosnians train first time on Belgian soil already |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |author=vml |date=31 August 2015 |access-date=31 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121040725/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20150831_01841778 |archive-date=21 November 2015}}</ref> Apart from Belgian home friendlies, at the international level Belgium's national stadium has also hosted six European Championship matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1972/matches/round=186/match=3838/index.html |title=UEFA Euro 1972 – History – Germany-USSR |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=3 October 2003 |access-date=12 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626120301/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season%3D1972/matches/round%3D186/match%3D3838/index.html |archive-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/00e-final.html |title=European Championship 2000 – Full Details Final Tournament |first=Pierre |last=Winkler |date=17 January 2004 |access-date= 12 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626120345/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/00e-final.html |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref>

In 1930, for the country's centennial, the venue was inaugurated as the Jubilee Stadium with an unofficial match between Belgium and the Netherlands.<ref name="DerbyBelNed"/> At that time, the stadium had a capacity of 75,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=België slaat Nederland met 4–1 |trans-title=Belgium beats Netherlands 4–1 |newspaper=[[Algemeen Handelsblad]] |via=[[Delpher]] |language=nl |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A010661586%3Ampeg21%3Aa0317 |date=15 September 1930 |access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref> In 1946, it was renamed Heysel Stadium after its city quarter. This new name became associated with the tragedy preceding the [[1985 European Cup final|1985 European Cup Final]] between Juventus and Liverpool; [[Heysel Stadium disaster|39 spectators died]] after riots in the then antiquated building.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/apr/03/newsstory.sport14 |title=Lost lives that saved a sport |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=15 June 2006 |author=[[Andrew Hussey|Hussey, Andrew]] |date=3 April 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726185004/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/apr/03/newsstory.sport14 |archive-date=26 July 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|Parrish|Nauright|2014|p=xxviii}} Three years after the disaster, plans were unveiled for a renovation;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A110610936%3Ampeg21%3Aa0572 |title=Heyzel-stadion wordt gesloopt |trans-title=Heyzel stadium to be demolished |newspaper=[[De Telegraaf]] |via=[[Delpher]] |language=nl |date=29 November 1988 |access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref> in 1995, after two years of work, the modernised stadium was named after the late [[Baudouin of Belgium|King Baudouin]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Stadion – Geschiedenis – Koning Boudewijnstadion |trans-title=Stadium – History – King Baudouin Stadium |url=http://www.prosportevent.be/nl/stadion/geschiedenis |publisher=Vzw Prosport Brussel |language=nl |access-date=12 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626120701/http://www.prosportevent.be/nl/stadion/geschiedenis |archive-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> In May 2013, the Brussels-Capital Region announced that the King Baudouin Stadium would be replaced by [[Eurostadium]], elsewhere on the Heysel Plateau;<ref>{{cite news |title=Koning Boudewijnstadion wordt afgebroken |trans-title=King Baudouin Stadium to be demolished |newspaper=[[De Standaard]] |first=Geert |last=Sels |language=nl |date=25 May 2013 |access-date=9 July 2013 |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20130525_00597916 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729020921/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20130525_00597916 |archive-date=29 July 2020}}</ref> in 2018, however, the plans for the new stadium were cancelled definitively.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brussel geeft de doodsteek aan Eurostadion |trans-title=Brussels gives deathblow to Eurostadium |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl |date=26 March 2018 |access-date=3 June 2018 |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20180326_03430758 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326213404/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20180326_03430758 |archive-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

==Results and fixtures==
{{See also|Belgium national football team results|Belgium national football team records and statistics}}

{{As of|2024|10|14}}, the complete official match record of the Belgian national team comprises [[Belgium national football team results|846 matches]]: 374 wins, 178 draws and 294 losses.{{efn|name=fifa_unrec|Caps and goals against [[Romania national football team|Romania]] on 15 (actually 14) November 2012, against [[Luxembourg national football team|Luxembourg]] on 26 May 2014 and against [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]] on 5 June 2017 were counted by [http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/alle-rode-duivels RBFA] but are not officially recognised by FIFA – the former two due to an excessive number of [[Substitute (association football)|substitutions]] according to the Laws of the Game,<ref name="UnrecMatch1">{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=3770 |title=Football MATCH: 14.11.2012 (Romania v Belgium) |publisher=EU Football |access-date=17 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726183008/https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=3770 |archive-date=26 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="UnrecMatch2">{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=925 |title=Football MATCH: 26.05.2014 (Belgium v Luxembourg) |publisher=EU Football |access-date=17 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919102239/https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=925 |archive-date=19 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="FArules">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/laws/football-11-11/law-3---the-number-of-players |title=Rules & Governance – Law 3: The number of players |publisher=[[The Football Association|The FA]] |access-date=25 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141025102228/http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/laws/football-11-11/law-3---the-number-of-players |archive-date=25 October 2014 }}</ref> the latter because the Belgian and Czech football federations were too late in requesting an official match.<ref name="Czechmatch">{{cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.2997051 |title=Welles-nietesspel rond oefenmatch tegen Tsjechië: Daarom was het geen officiële wedstrijd  |trans-title=Yes or no game about friendly against Czech Republic: this is why it was no official match |language=nl |publisher=[[Sporza]] |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=6 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612185054/http://archief.sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Rode_Duivels/1.2997051 |archive-date=12 June 2018 }}</ref>}}<ref name="results"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_matches.php?id=21 |title=Belgium football results |access-date=8 April 2021 |website=EU-Football.info}}</ref> During these matches, the team scored 1,516 times and conceded 1,314 goals. Belgium's highest winning margin is nine goals, which has been achieved on four occasions: against [[Zambia national football team|Zambia]] in 1994 (9–0), twice against [[San Marino national football team|San Marino]] in 2001 (10–1) and 2019 (9–0), and against [[Gibraltar national football team|Gibraltar]] in 2017 (9–0).<ref name="results">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/belg-intres.html |title=Belgium – List of International Matches |first=Karel |last=Stokkermans |access-date=4 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150657/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/belg-intres.html |archive-date=1 July 2016 |website=[[RSSSF]] |url-status=live}}</ref> Their longest winning streak is 12 wins, and their highest unbeaten record is 23 consecutive official matches.{{efn|This streak started in September 2016 and does not include the friendly win against [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]] on 5 June 2017; this match is not FIFA-recognised since the Belgian and Czech football federations were too late in asking that it would be official.<ref name="Czechmatch"/>}}<ref name="results"/>

The following is a list of match results in the last twelve months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

{{legend2|#CCFFCC|Win|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#FFFFCC|Draw|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#FFCCCC|Loss|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#FFFFFF|Fixture|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

===2023===
{{footballbox collapsible
|format = 1
|date = 15 November 2023
|round = [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|time = 20:45
|team1 = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score = 1–0
|report = https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/15/world/friendlies/belgium/serbia/4073275/
|team2 = {{fb|SRB}}
|goals1 =
* [[Yannick Carrasco|Carrasco]] {{goal|2}}
|goals2 =
|stadium = [[Den Dreef]]
|location = [[Leuven]], Belgium
|attendance =
|referee = Marian Barbu ([[Romanian Football Federation|Romania]])
|result = W
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
|format     = 1
|date       = 19 November 2023
|round      = [[UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group F]]
|time       = 18:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score      = 5–0
|team2      = {{fb|AZE}}
|report     = https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2036507/
|goals1     =
* [[Romelu Lukaku|Lukaku]] {{goal|17||26||30||37}}
* [[Leandro Trossard|Trossard]] {{goal|90}}
|goals2     =
|location   = [[Brussels]], Belgium
|stadium    = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
|attendance = 30,276
|referee    = Gergő Bogár ([[Hungarian Football Federation|Hungary]])
|result     = W
}}

===2024===
{{footballbox collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|date       = 23 March 2024
|time       = 20:45
|team1      = {{fb-rt|IRL}}
|score      = 0–0
|report     = https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/23/world/friendlies/ireland-republic/belgium/4287395/
|team2      = {{fb|BEL}}
|goals1     =
|goals2     =
|stadium    = [[Aviva Stadium]]
|location   = [[Dublin]], Ireland
|attendance = 38,128
|referee    = Rohit Saggi ([[Norwegian Football Federation|Norway]])
|result     = D
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|date       = 26 March 2024
|time       = 20:45
|team1      = {{fb-rt|ENG}}
|score      = 2–2
|report     = https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/26/world/friendlies/england/belgium/4268142/
|team2      = {{fb|BEL}}
|goals1     =
* [[Ivan Toney|Toney]] {{goal|17|pen.}}
* [[Jude Bellingham|Bellingham]] {{goal|90+5}}
|goals2     =
* [[Youri Tielemans|Tielemans]] {{goal|11||36}}
|stadium    = [[Wembley Stadium]]
|location   = [[London]], England
|attendance = 80,733
|referee    = [[Sebastian Gishamer]] ([[Austrian Football Association|Austria]])
|result     = D
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|date       = 5 June 2024
|time       = 20:30
|team1      = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score      = 2–0
|report     = https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/06/05/world/friendlies/belgium/montenegro/4314709/
|team2      = {{fb|MNE}}
|goals1     =
* [[Kevin De Bruyne|De Bruyne]] {{goal|44}}
* [[Leandro Trossard|Trossard]] {{goal|90+3|pen.}}
|goals2     =
|stadium    = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
|location   = [[Brussels]], Belgium
|attendance =
|referee    = [[Kristoffer Karlsson]] ([[Swedish Football Association|Sweden]])
|result     = W
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|date       = 8 June 2024
|time       = 20:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score      = 3–0
|report     = https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/06/08/world/friendlies/belgium/luxembourg/4312557/
|team2      = {{fb|LUX}}
|goals1     =
* [[Romelu Lukaku|Lukaku]] {{goal|42|pen.|57}}
* [[Leandro Trossard|Trossard]] {{goal|81}}
|goals2     =
|stadium    = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
|location   = [[Brussels]], Belgium
|attendance =
|referee    = [[Paweł Raczkowski]] ([[Polish Football Association|Poland]])
|result     = W
}}
{{Football box collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[UEFA Euro 2024 Group E#Belgium vs Slovakia|UEFA Euro 2024 Group E]]
|date       = 17 June 2024
|time       = 18:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score      = 0–1
|team2      = {{fb|SVK}}
|goals1     =
|goals2     =
* [[Ivan Schranz|Schranz]] {{goal|7}}
|location   = [[Frankfurt]], Germany
|stadium    = [[Waldstadion (Frankfurt)|Waldstadion]]
|attendance = 45,181
|referee    = [[Halil Umut Meler]] ([[Turkish Football Federation|Turkey]])
|report     = https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2036169/
|result     = L
}}
{{Football box collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[UEFA Euro 2024 Group E#Belgium vs Romania|UEFA Euro 2024 Group E]]
|date       = 22 June 2024
|time       = 21:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score      = 2–0
|team2      = {{fb|ROU}}
|goals1     =
* [[Youri Tielemans|Tielemans]] {{goal|2}}
* [[Kevin De Bruyne|De Bruyne]] {{goal|80}}
|goals2     =
|location   = [[Cologne]], Germany
|stadium    = [[RheinEnergieStadion]]
|attendance = 42,535
|referee    = [[Szymon Marciniak]] ([[Polish Football Association|Poland]])
|report     = https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2036181/
|result     = W
}}
{{Football box collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[UEFA Euro 2024 Group E#Ukraine vs Belgium|UEFA Euro 2024 Group E]]
|date       = 26 June 2024
|time       = 18:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|UKR}}
|score      = 0–0
|team2      = {{fb|BEL}}
|goals1     =
|goals2     =
|location   = [[Stuttgart]], Germany
|stadium    = [[MHPArena]]
|attendance = 54,000
|referee    = [[Anthony Taylor (referee)|Anthony Taylor]] ([[The Football Association|England]])
|report     = https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2036193/
|result     = D
}}
{{Football box collapsible
|format     = 1
|round      = [[UEFA Euro 2024 knockout stage#France vs Belgium|UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16]]
|date       = 1 July 2024
|time       = 18:00
|team1      = {{fb-rt|FRA}}
|score      = 1–0
|team2      = {{fb|BEL}}
|goals1     =
* [[Jan Vertonghen|Vertonghen]] {{goal|85|o.g.}}
|goals2     =
|location   = [[Düsseldorf]], Germany
|stadium    = [[Merkur Spiel-Arena]]
|attendance = 46,810
|referee    = [[Glenn Nyberg]] ([[Swedish Football Association|Sweden]])
|report     = https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2036202/
|result     = L
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=Belgium v Israel
|date= {{Start date|2024|9|6|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score= 3–1
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040057/
|team2={{fb|ISR}}
|goals1=
* [[Kevin De Bruyne|De Bruyne]] {{goal|21||52|pen.}}
* [[Youri Tielemans|Tielemans]] {{goal|48}}
|goals2=
* [[Timothy Castagne|Castagne]] {{goal|36|o.g.}}
|stadium = [[Nagyerdei Stadion]]
|location = [[Debrecen]], Hungary
|attendance= 0
|referee= [[Michael Oliver (referee)|Michael Oliver]] ([[The Football Association|England]])
|result = W
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=France v Belgium
|date= {{Start date|2024|9|9|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 2–0
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040079/
|team2={{fb|BEL}}
|goals1=
* [[Randal Kolo Muani|Kolo Muani]] {{goal|29}}
* [[Ousmane Dembélé|Dembélé]] {{goal|57}}
|goals2=
|stadium = [[Parc Olympique Lyonnais]]
|location = [[Décines-Charpieu]], France
|attendance= 42,358
|referee= [[Tobias Stieler]] ([[German Football Association|Germany]])
|result = L
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=Italy v Belgium
|date= {{Start date|2024|10|10|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|ITA}}
|score=2–2
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040102/
|team2={{fb|BEL}}
|goals1=
*[[Andrea Cambiaso|Cambiaso]] {{goal|1}}
*[[Mateo Retegui|Retegui]] {{goal|24}}
|goals2=
*[[Maxim De Cuyper|De Cuyper]] {{goal|42}}
*[[Leandro Trossard|Trossard]] {{goal|61}}
|stadium = [[Stadio Olimpico]]
|location = [[Rome]], Italy
|attendance= 44,297
|referee= [[Espen Eskås]] ([[Norwegian Football Federation|Norway]])
|result = D
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=Belgium v France
|date= {{Start date|2024|10|14|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score= 1–2
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040133/
|team2={{fb|FRA}}
|goals1=
*[[Loïs Openda|Openda]] {{goal|45+3}}
|goals2=
*[[Randal Kolo Muani|Kolo Muani]] {{goal|35|pen.|62}}
|stadium = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
|location = [[Brussels]], Belgium
|attendance= 39,731
|referee= [[Irfan Peljto]] ([[Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia and Herzegovina]])
|result = L
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=Belgium v Italy
|date= {{Start date|2024|11|14|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|BEL}}
|score=
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040149/
|team2={{fb|ITA}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
|stadium = [[King Baudouin Stadium]]
|location = [[Brussels]], Belgium
|attendance=
|referee=
|result =
}}
{{football box collapsible
|format = 1
|id=Israel v Belgium
|date= {{Start date|2024|11|17|df=y}}
|time=20:45
|round = [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 Nations League]]
|team1={{fb-rt|ISR}}
|score=
|report= https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2040178/
|team2={{fb|BEL}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
|stadium = [[Bozsik Aréna]] 
|location = [[Budapest]], Hungary{{efn|Due to the [[2023 Israel–Hamas war|Israel–Hamas war]], Israel are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/mediaservices/mediareleases/news/0286-194079070fc0-ee97b2cd5400-1000/ |title=European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden declared abandoned with half-time result confirmed as final |website=UEFA.com |publisher=Union of European Football Associations |date=19 October 2023 |access-date=23 November 2023}}</ref>}}
|attendance=
|referee=
|result =
}}

==Coaching staff==
Source:<ref name="staff">{{cite web |title=Red Devils Staff |url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/national-teams/red-devils/red-devils-staff |publisher=Royal Belgian Football Association |access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
| Head coach
| {{flagicon|GER}}{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Domenico Tedesco]]
|-
| Assistant coaches
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Andreas Hinkel]]<hr>{{flagicon|ENG}} Luke Benstead
|-
| Goalkeeper coach
| {{flagicon|GER}} Max Urwantschky
|-
| Physical coaches
| {{flagicon|SRB}} Vladimir Cepzanovic<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Bram Gielen
|-
| Team manager
| {{flagicon|BEL}} Piet Erauw
|-
| Assistant technical director
| {{flagicon|BEL}} Jelle Schelstraete
|-
| Nutritionist
| {{flagicon|BEL}} Janne Geers
|-
| Performance analysts
| {{flagicon|GER}} Umberto Tedesco<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Dylan Vanhaeren<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Maxim Wouters
|-
| Team doctors
| {{flagicon|BEL}} Kristof Sas<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Geert Declercq
|-
| Physiotherapists
| {{flagicon|BEL}} James Van Gemert<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Gertjan Jespers<hr>{{flagicon|BEL}} Sander Nuyens<hr>{{flagicon|ENG}} Thomas O'Malley
|}

===Coaching history===
{{Further|List of Belgium national football team managers}}

Since 1904, the RBFA, 25 permanent managers and two caretaker managers have officially been in charge of the national team;{{efn|The interim managers were [[Louis Nicolay]] and [[Franky Vercauteren]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Geschiedenis van de Rode Duivels |trans-title=History of the Red Devils |language=nl |url=http://cms1.proximedia.com/site/33301/page.asp?docid=37813&langue=NL |access-date=9 May 2014 |publisher=Bel 2 Mundial |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721104224/http://cms1.proximedia.com/site/33301/page.asp?docid=37813&langue=NL |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gva.be/cnt/aid828724/vercauteren-interim-bondscoach-rode-duivels |title=Vercauteren interim-bondscoach Rode Duivels |trans-title=Vercauteren caretaker manager Red Devils |language=nl |newspaper=[[Gazet Van Antwerpen]] |first=W. |last=Verhaert |date=5 May 2009 |access-date=19 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721104337/http://www.gva.be/cnt/aid828724/vercauteren-interim-bondscoach-rode-duivels |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref>}}<ref name="manrsssf"/><ref name="HN060612"/> this includes one national footballer selector.<ref name="manrsssf">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/belg-coach.html |title=Belgium National Team Coaches |first=Hassanin |last=Mubarak |date=7 August 2003 |access-date=14 September 2013 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629193505/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/belg-coach.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> {{As of|2024|06}}, a crew of over 30 RBFA employees guides the player group, including German-Italian head coach [[Domenico Tedesco]], and assistant coaches [[Andreas Hinkel]] and Luke Benstead.<ref name="staff"/> Under [[Marc Wilmots]], Belgium reached the top FIFA ranking spot in 2015, which earned him the title of Best Coach of the Year at the 2015 [[Globe Soccer Awards]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Globe-soccer-awards-le-triple-pour-le-barca-le-double-pour-new-york-city/619774 |title=Globe Soccer Awards : le triplé pour le Barça, le doublé pour New York City |trans-title=Globe Soccer Awards: the triple for Barça, the double for New York City |newspaper=[[L'Équipe]] |language=fr |date=27 December 2015 |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154055/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Globe-soccer-awards-le-triple-pour-le-barca-le-double-pour-new-york-city/619774 |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Under Guy Thys, the squad achieved record results at World and European Championship; [[World Soccer (magazine)|''World Soccer'' magazine]] accordingly proclaimed him Manager of the Year in 1986.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/world-soccer-awards-previous-winners-2-338433 |title=World Soccer Awards – previous winners |first=Jamie |last=Rainbow |journal=[[World Soccer (magazine)|World Soccer]] |date=14 December 2012 |access-date=29 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194202/http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/world-soccer-awards-previous-winners-2-338433 |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> Under Spanish coach [[Roberto Martínez]], the team reached a best-ever third place finish at the [[2018 FIFA World Cup]].

Rather than developing innovative team formations or styles of play, Belgium's managers applied conventional tactics. At the three 1930s World Cups, the Red Devils were aligned in a contemporary [[Formation (association football)|2–3–5 "pyramid"]].<ref name="rsssf30">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/30full.html |title=World Cup 1930 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194350/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/30full.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="rsssf34"/><ref name="rsssf38">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/38full.html |title=World Cup 1938 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194457/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/38full.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> In 1954, [[Doug Livingstone]]'s squad played in a [[Formation (association football)|3–2–5 "WM" arrangement]] during World Cup matches.<ref name="rsssf54">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/54full.html |title=World Cup 1954 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306144940/http://rsssf.com/tables/54full.html |archive-date=6 March 2016}}</ref> Throughout most of their tournament matches in the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s, the team played in a [[Formation (association football)|4–4–2 formation]].<ref name="rsssf70">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/70full.html |title=World Cup 1970 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154217/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/70full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="rsssf82">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/82full.html |title=World Cup 1982 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154256/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/82full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="rsssf94">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/94full.html |title=World Cup 1994 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629194938/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/94full.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> Since Raymond Goethals' stint in the 1970s, a key strength of the Belgian squad has been their systematic use of the [[Offside (association football)|offside trap]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Cools make it too hot for Spain |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Glasgow Herald]] |date=16 June 1980 |access-date=30 June 2014 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19800614&id=ZsJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2984,3388441}}</ref> a defensive tactic that was already intensively applied in the 1960s by Anderlecht coach [[Pierre Sinibaldi]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinibaldi, le Béjart mauve |trans-title=Sinibaldi, the purple Béjart |newspaper=[[La Libre Belgique|La Libre]] |first=Jean-Claude |last=Matgen |language=fr |date=27 January 2012 |access-date=9 July 2013 |url=http://www.lalibre.be/archive/sinibaldi-le-bejart-mauve-51b8e453e4b0de6db9c53280 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154351/http://www.lalibre.be/archive/sinibaldi-le-bejart-mauve-51b8e453e4b0de6db9c53280 |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> According to football journalist Wim De Bock, "master tactician" Goethals represented the "conservative, defensive football of the Belgian national team"; he added that in the 1970s, the contrast between the Belgian playing style and the [[Total Football]] of their Dutch rivals "could not be bigger".{{sfn|De Bock|2013}}

In an attempt to win a match at the 1998 World Cup, Georges Leekens chose a [[Formation (association football)|4–3–3]] arrangement for Belgium's second and third group matches.<ref name="rsssf98">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/98full.html |title=World Cup 1998 finals |access-date=17 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154455/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/98full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Robert Waseige, Belgium coach around 2000, said that "above all, [his] 4–4–2 system [was] holy", in the sense that he left good attackers on the bench to keep his favourite formation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst9910050036 |title=Behoudsgezinde bondscoach Robert Waseige verandert slechts uit noodzaak |trans-title=Conservative national manager Robert Waseige only changes out of necessity |publisher=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |first=Ludo |last=Vandewalle |date=5 October 1999 |access-date=18 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154534/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst9910050036 |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Wilmots opted for the 4–3–3 line-up again,<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://sportmagazine.knack.be/sport/voetbal-nationaal/marc-wilmots-wil-sommige-rode-duivels-meer-vrijheid-geven/article-normal-435091.html |title=Marc Wilmots wil sommige Rode Duivels meer vrijheid geven |trans-title=Marc Wilmots want to give some Red Devils more freedom |language=nl |journal=Sport/Voetbalmagazine |first1=Stéphane |last1=Vande Velde |first2=Pierre |last2=Bilic |date=8 October 2014 |access-date=25 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629195633/http://sportmagazine.knack.be/sport/voetbal-nationaal/marc-wilmots-wil-sommige-rode-duivels-meer-vrijheid-geven/article-normal-435091.html |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref> with the intention of showing dominant football against any country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/archief/MG_sportnieuws/MG_voetbal/1.1426775 |title=Wilmots: "Dominant en intelligent proberen te spelen" |trans-title=Wilmots: "Trying to play dominantly and intelligently" |language=nl |publisher=[[Sporza]] |date=10 September 2012 |access-date=18 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629200026/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/archief/MG_sportnieuws/MG_voetbal/1.1426775 |archive-date=29 June 2016}}</ref>

==Players==
{{See also|List of Belgium international footballers|List of Belgium national football team captains}}

===Current squad===
On 4 October 2024, the following 23 players were named in the squad for the [[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2024–25 UEFA Nations League]] matches against [[Italy national football team|Italy]] and [[France national football team|France]] on 10 and 14 October 2024, respectively.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/09/30/geen-de-bruyne-en-lukaku-bij-rode-duivels-wel-selectie-voor-fofana-ngonge-smets-en-vandevoordt~1727701471318/| title=Geen De Bruyne en Lukaku bij Rode Duivels, wel selectie voor Fofana, Ngonge, Smets en Vandevoordt | trans-title=No De Bruyne and Lukaku at Red Devils, but selections for Fofana, Ngonge, Smets and Vandevoordt| publisher=sporza | access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref> On 7 October, [[Aster Vranckx]] was called-up to replace the injured [[Amadou Onana]], who would not be joining the squad.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/10/07/zoals-verwacht-valt-onana-af-voor-rode-duivels-aster-vranckx-ko~1728287374941/| title=Zoals verwacht valt Onana af voor Rode Duivels, Aster Vranckx komt in zijn plaats | trans-title=As expected Onana drops out of Red Devils, Aster Vranckx arrives in his place| publisher=sporza | access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref> One day later, [[Matz Sels]] also dropped out due to injury, with [[Ortwin De Wolf]] his replacement.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/10/08/matz-sels-haakt-af-bij-rode-duivels-met-pijn-aan-adductoren-ort~1728395859859/| title=Matz Sels haakt af bij Rode Duivels met pijn aan adductoren, Ortwin De Wolf is zijn vervanger | trans-title=Matz Sels drops out of Red Devils squad with adductor pain, Ortwin De Wolf his replacement| publisher=sporza | access-date=8 October 2024}}</ref>

''Information correct {{as of|2024|10|14|lc=y}}, after the match against {{fb|FRA}}.''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/match/2034479/ | title=Wales-Belgium &#124; UEFA Nations League 2023 &#124; UEFA.com |website=[[UEFA]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_players.php?id=21&data=9|title=Most Belgium Caps|website=EU-Football.info}}</ref>

{{nat fs g start}}
{{nat fs g player|no=1|pos=GK|name=[[Koen Casteels]]|age={{birth date and age|1992|6|25|df=y}}|caps=18|goals=0|club=[[Al Qadsiah FC|Al-Qadsiah]]|clubnat=KSA}}
{{nat fs g player|no=12|pos=GK|name=[[Ortwin De Wolf]]|age={{birth date and age|1997|4|23|df=y}}|caps=0|goals=0|club=[[K.V. Mechelen|Mechelen]]|clubnat=BEL}}
{{nat fs g player|no=13|pos=GK|name=[[Maarten Vandevoordt]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|2|26|df=y}}|caps=0|goals=0|club=[[RB Leipzig]]|clubnat=GER}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs g player|no=2|pos=DF|name=[[Zeno Debast]]|age={{birth date and age|2003|10|24|df=y}}|caps=14|goals=0|club=[[Sporting CP]]|clubnat=POR}}
{{nat fs g player|no=3|pos=DF|name=[[Arthur Theate]]|age={{birth date and age|2000|5|25|df=y}}|caps=22|goals=0|club=[[Eintracht Frankfurt]]|clubnat=GER}}
{{nat fs g player|no=4|pos=DF|name=[[Wout Faes]]|age={{birth date and age|1998|4|3|df=y}}|caps=23|goals=0|club=[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]|clubnat=ENG}}
{{nat fs g player|no=5|pos=DF|name=[[Maxim De Cuyper]]|age={{birth date and age|2000|12|22|df=y}}|caps=5|goals=1|club=[[Club Brugge KV|Club Brugge]]|clubnat=BEL}}
{{nat fs g player|no=14|pos=DF|name=[[Koni De Winter]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|6|12|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[Genoa CFC|Genoa]]|clubnat=ITA}}
{{nat fs g player|no=15|pos=DF|name=[[Matte Smets]]|age={{birth date and age|2004|1|4|df=y}}|caps=0|goals=0|club=[[K.R.C. Genk|Genk]]|clubnat=BEL}}
{{nat fs g player|no=16|pos=DF|name=[[Sebastiaan Bornauw]]|age={{birth date and age|1999|3|22|df=y}}|caps=4|goals=0|club=[[VfL Wolfsburg]]|clubnat=GER}}
{{nat fs g player|no=21|pos=DF|name=[[Timothy Castagne]]|age={{birth date and age|1995|12|5|df=y}}|caps=51|goals=2|clubnat=ENG|club=[[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]]}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs g player|no=6|pos=MF|name=[[Aster Vranckx]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|10|4|df=y}}|caps=9|goals=0|club=[[VfL Wolfsburg]]|clubnat=GER}}
{{nat fs g player|no=8|pos=MF|name=[[Youri Tielemans]]|age={{birth date and age|1997|5|7|df=y}}|caps=74|goals=9|club=[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]|clubnat=ENG}}
{{nat fs g player|no=17|pos=MF|name=[[Charles De Ketelaere]]|age={{birth date and age|2001|3|10|df=y}}|caps=20|goals=2|clubnat=ITA|club=[[Atalanta BC|Atalanta]]}}
{{nat fs g player|no=18|pos=MF|name=[[Orel Mangala]]|age={{birth date and age|1998|3|18|df=y}}|caps=22|goals=0|club=[[Everton F.C.|Everton]]|clubnat=ENG}}
{{nat fs g player|no=20|pos=MF|name=[[Arne Engels]]|age={{birth date and age|2003|9|8|df=y}}|caps=2|goals=0|club=[[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]|clubnat=SCO}}
{{nat fs g player|no=22|pos=MF|name=[[Malick Fofana]]|age={{birth date and age|2005|3|31|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]|clubnat=FRA}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs g player|no=7|pos=FW|name=[[Jérémy Doku]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|5|27|df=y}}|caps=30|goals=2|club=[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]|clubnat=ENG}}
{{nat fs g player|no=9|pos=FW|name=[[Loïs Openda]]|age={{birth date and age|2000|2|16|df=y}}|caps=24|goals=3|club=[[RB Leipzig]]|clubnat=GER}}
{{nat fs g player|no=10|pos=FW|name=[[Leandro Trossard]]|age={{birth date and age|1994|12|4|df=y}}|caps=39|goals=10|club=[[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]|clubnat=ENG}}
{{nat fs g player|no=11|pos=FW|name=[[Dodi Lukebakio]]|age={{birth date and age|1997|9|24|df=y}}|caps=22|goals=2|club=[[Sevilla FC|Sevilla]]|clubnat=ESP}}
{{nat fs g player|no=19|pos=FW|name=[[Johan Bakayoko]]|age={{birth date and age|2003|4|20|df=y}}|caps=16|goals=1|club=[[PSV Eindhoven]]|clubnat=NED}}
{{nat fs g player|no=23|pos=FW|name=[[Cyril Ngonge]]|age={{birth date and age|2000|5|26|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[SSC Napoli|Napoli]]|clubnat=ITA}}
{{nat fs end}}

===Recent call-ups===
The following footballers were part of a national selection in the past twelve months, but not part of the most recent squad.
{{nat fs r start}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=GK|name=[[Matz Sels]]|age={{birth date and age|1992|2|26|df=y}}|caps=8|goals=0|club=[[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]|clubnat=ENG|latest=v. {{fb|ITA}}, 10 October 2024 <sup>INJ</sup>}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=GK|name=[[Thomas Kaminski]]|age={{birth date and age|1992|10|23|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]|clubnat=ENG|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=GK|name=[[Arnaud Bodart]]|age={{birth date and age|1998|3|11|df=y}}|caps=0|goals=0|club=[[Standard Liège]]|clubnat=BEL|latest=v. {{fb|ENG}}, 26 March 2024}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=DF|name=[[Thomas Meunier]]|age={{birth date and age|1991|9|12|df=y}}|caps=67|goals=8|club=[[Lille OSC|Lille]]|clubnat=FRA|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=DF|name=[[Jan Vertonghen]]|age={{birth date and age|1987|4|24|df=y}}|caps=157|goals=10|club=[[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]|clubnat=BEL|latest=[[UEFA Euro 2024]] <sup>RET</sup>}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=DF|name=[[Ameen Al-Dakhil]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|3|6|df=y}}|caps=4|goals=0|club=[[VfB Stuttgart]]|clubnat=GER|latest=v. {{fb|AZE}}, 19 November 2023}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=DF|name=[[Jorne Spileers]]|age={{birth date and age|2005|1|21|df=y}}|caps=0|goals=0|club=[[Club Brugge KV|Club Brugge]]|clubnat=BEL|latest=v. {{fb|AZE}}, 19 November 2023}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=DF|name=[[Zinho Vanheusden]]|age={{birth date and age|1999|7|29|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[K.V. Mechelen|Mechelen]]|clubnat=BEL|latest=v. {{fb|SRB}}, 15 November 2023 <sup>INJ</sup>}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Amadou Onana]]|age={{birth date and age|2001|8|16|df=y}}|caps=19|goals=0|club=[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]|clubnat=ENG|latest=v. {{fb|ITA}}, 10 October 2024 <sup>INJ</sup>}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Kevin De Bruyne]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]|age={{birth date and age|1991|6|28|df=y}}|caps=107|goals=30|club=[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]|clubnat=ENG|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Alexis Saelemaekers]]|age={{birth date and age|1999|6|27|df=y}}|caps=12|goals=1|club=[[AS Roma|Roma]]|clubnat=ITA|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Arthur Vermeeren]]|age={{birth date and age|2005|2|7|df=y}}|caps=4|goals=0|club=[[RB Leipzig]]|clubnat=GER|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Axel Witsel]]|age={{birth date and age|1989|1|12|df=y}}|caps=132|goals=12|club=[[Atlético Madrid]]|clubnat=ESP|latest=[[UEFA Euro 2024]]}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Mandela Keita]]|age={{birth date and age|2002|5|10|df=y}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=[[Parma Calcio 1913|Parma]]|clubnat=ITA|latest=[[UEFA Euro 2024]] <sup>PRE</sup>}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=MF|name=[[Olivier Deman]]|age={{birth date and age|2000|4|6|df=y}}|caps=3|goals=0|club=[[SV Werder Bremen|Werder Bremen]]|clubnat=GER|latest=v. {{fb|ENG}}, 26 March 2024}}
{{nat fs break}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=FW|name=[[Julien Duranville]]|age={{birth date and age|2006|5|5|df=y}}|caps=2|goals=0|club=[[Borussia Dortmund]]|clubnat=GER|latest=v. {{fb|FRA}}, 9 September 2024}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=FW|name=[[Romelu Lukaku]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|vice-captain]]|age={{birth date and age|1993|5|13|df=y}}|caps=119|goals=[[List of international goals scored by Romelu Lukaku|85]]|club=[[SSC Napoli|Napoli]]|clubnat=ITA|latest=[[UEFA Euro 2024]]}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=FW|name=[[Yannick Carrasco]]|sortname=Carrasco, Yannick|age={{birth date and age|1993|9|4|df=y}}|caps=78|goals=11|club=[[Al-Shabab FC (Riyadh)|Al-Shabab]]|clubnat=KSA|latest=[[UEFA Euro 2024]]}}
{{nat fs r player|no=|pos=FW|name=[[Michy Batshuayi]]|age={{birth date and age|1993|10|2|df=y}}|caps=55|goals=27|club=[[Galatasaray S.K. (football)|Galatasaray]]|clubnat=TUR|latest=v. {{fb|ENG}}, 26 March 2024}}
{{nat fs break|background=#0B0B3F}}
* <sup>PRE</sup> Preliminary squad / standby
* <sup>RET</sup> Retired from the national team
* <sup>INJ</sup> Player injuries
* <sup>ILL</sup> Player illness
* <sup>U21</sup> Moved to U21 squad
* <sup>WD</sup> Player withdrew from squad due to non-injury issue
{{nat fs end|background=#0B0B3F}}

===Notable===
[[File:PaulVanHimst1964.jpg|thumb|left|160px| [[Paul Van Himst]] in 1964 |alt=Player on the pitch in national team outfit]]
Between 1904 and 1980, mainly attacking Belgium players were recognised as talented footballers. In the team's first decade, striker [[Robert De Veen]] was very productive with 26 goals in 23 international appearances.<ref name="RSSSF BelIntRec">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/belg-recintlp.html |first=Karel |last=Stokkermans |title=Belgium – Record International Players |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=6 February 2018 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121074251/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/belg-recintlp.html |archive-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> Richard Henshaw described [[Alphonse Six]] as "Belgium's greatest player in the prewar period&nbsp;... [who] was often called the most skillful forward outside Great Britain".{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=76}} The key player of the victorious 1920 Olympic squad was [[Robert Coppée]], who scored a [[hat-trick]] against Spain's [[Ricardo Zamora]],<ref name="FIFA1920">{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/antwerp1920/matches/round=197011/match=32282/index.html |title=Olympic Football Tournament Antwerp 1920 – Belgium 3:1 (1:0) Spain – Overview |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=26 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630202318/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/antwerp1920/matches/round%3D197011/match%3D32282/index.html |archive-date=30 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the penalty in the final.<ref name="1920finalFIFA">{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/antwerp1920/matches/round=197018/match=32288/index.html |title=Olympic Football Tournament Antwerp 1920 – Belgium 2:0 (2:0) Czechoslovakia – Overview |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=16 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716194337/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/antwerp1920/matches/round%3D197018/match%3D32288/index.html |archive-date=16 July 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other outstanding Belgian strikers in the interwar period were former top scorer [[Bernard Voorhoof]] and "Belgium's football grandmaster" [[Raymond Braine]],<ref name="AllRedD"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A110583572%3Ampeg21%3Aa0147 |title=Raymond Braine nog steeds België's voetbalgrootmeester. |trans-title=Raymond Braine still Belgium's football grandmaster. |via=[[Delpher]] |language=nl |newspaper=[[De Telegraaf]] |date=9 October 1941 |access-date=13 June 2015}}</ref> considered "one of the greatest players of the era".{{sfn|Murray|1998|p=63}}

Gifted players in the 1940s and the 1950s included [[Defender (association football)|centre-back]] [[Louis Carré (footballer)|Louis Carré]] and attackers [[Jef Mermans]], [[Léopold Anoul|Pol Anoul]] and [[Henri Coppens|Rik Coppens]];{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=76}} at the 1954 World Cup, Anoul shone with three goals,<ref name="rsssf54"/> and newspaper ''[[L'Équipe]]'' named Coppens the event's best centre forward.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/ru2pjpm2 |title=Rik Coppens |language=nl |date=29 April 2010 |access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref> The 1960s and the early 1970s were the glory days of forward and four-time [[Belgian Golden Shoe]] Paul Van Himst,<ref name="GoScho">{{cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1843629 |title=Van Himst en Anderlecht kapen de Gouden Schoen |trans-title=Van Himst and Anderlecht seize the Golden Shoe |language=nl |publisher=[[Sporza]] |date=22 January 2014 |access-date=26 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630202559/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/Jupiler_Pro_League/1.1843629 |archive-date=30 June 2016}}</ref> later elected Belgian [[UEFA Jubilee Awards|UEFA Golden Player]] of 1954–2003 and Belgium's Player of the Century by [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Belgium still bows to Van Himst |publisher=[[UEFA]] |first=Berend |last=Scholten |date=21 January 2011 |access-date=3 May 2014 |url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bel/news/newsid=140820.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107172446/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association%3Dbel/news/newsid%3D140820.html |archive-date=7 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-country-complete.html |title=IFFHS' Players and Keepers of the Century for many countries |first=Marcelo |last=Leme de Arruda |date=21 January 2000 |access-date=14 May 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630202741/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/iffhs-country-complete.html |archive-date=30 June 2016}}</ref> [[File:Eden Hazard 2018.jpg|thumb| [[Eden Hazard]], former team [[captain (association football)|captain]] and second top scoring player for Belgium<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44748604|title=World Cup 2018: England finish fourth after Belgium defeat|access-date=14 July 2018|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>|alt=|252x252px]] At the [[1965 Ballon d'Or]], Van Himst ranked fourth, achieving Belgium's highest ever position at the European football election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy65.html |title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1965 |first=José Luis |last=Pierrend |date=22 June 2005 |access-date=16 July 2016 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716194423/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy65.html |archive-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> Decades after Coppens and Van Himst had retired from playing football, a journalist on a Flemish television show asked them "Who [from both of you] was the best, actually?". Coppens replied: "I will ask Paul that&nbsp;... If Paul says it was me, then he's right".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/retro/Retro_Rik_Coppens/1.2230978 |language=nl |title=Coppens: 'Als Paul zegt dat ik het was, dan heeft hij gelijk' |trans-title=Coppens: 'If Paul says it was me, then he is right' |publisher=[[Sporza]] |date=6 February 2015 |access-date=11 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206232313/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/retro/Retro_Rik_Coppens/1.2230978 |archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref> In 1966, striker [[Raoul Lambert]] and defending midfielder [[Wilfried Van Moer]] joined the national team;<ref name="AllRedD" /> while the UEFA praised Lambert for his skills at Euro 1972,<ref>{{cite web|title=1972 team of the tournament |url=http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=1621340.html |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=2 May 2011 |access-date=23 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630202927/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid%3D1621340.html |archive-date=30 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Van Moer won three Golden Shoes and equalled Van Himst's fourth rank at the [[1980 Ballon d'Or]].<ref name="GoScho" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy80.html |title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1980 |first=José Luis |last=Pierrend |date=1 May 2005 |access-date=16 July 2016 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716194511/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy80.html |archive-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

Belgium has seen two talented waves since 1980, from which several players in defensive positions gained international fame. In the 1980s and the early 1990s, goalkeepers [[Jean-Marie Pfaff]] and [[Michel Preud'homme]] were elected best [[Glossary of association football terms#C|custodian]]s at FIFA World Cups,<ref name="AllStar"/><ref name="FIFAWCAwards">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mcwc/ip-301_03a_fwc-awards_22643.pdf |title=FIFA World Cups: Awards |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=19 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630203029/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mcwc/ip-301_03a_fwc-awards_22643.pdf |archive-date=30 June 2016}}</ref> while FIFA recognised midfielders [[Jan Ceulemans]] and [[Enzo Scifo]] as the propelling forces of Belgium's 1986 FIFA World Cup squad.<ref name="AllStar">{{cite web |url=http://football.sporting99.com/fifa-world-cup-all-star-team.html |title=FIFA World Cup All-Star Team – Football world Cup All Star Team |website=Football.sporting99.com |access-date=28 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630203237/http://football.sporting99.com/fifa-world-cup-all-star-team.html |archive-date=30 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=44619/profile.html |title=FIFA Classic Player: Scifo, a Red Devil with divine gifts |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630203359/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people%3D44619/profile.html |archive-date=30 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2002, after all players of this generation had retired,<ref name="AllRedD"/> Marc Wilmots became Belgium's top scorer at the World Cup with five goals.<ref name="rsssf2002" /><ref name="rsssf98"/>

During the 10 years from 2002 to 2012 in which Belgium failed to qualify for major tournament, another [[Golden generation#Belgium (2014–2022)|golden generation]] matured, many of whom gained both prime individual and team awards in foreign European top clubs and competitions.{{efn|Prime individual awards include being elected the season's or year's best player of a competition; prime team awards equal winning a competition. National top divisions, main national cup competitions, [[UEFA Champions League]] and [[UEFA Europa League]] are considered.}} These include defender [[Vincent Kompany]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Alan Pardew and Vincent Kompany's Premier League award |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/18042404 |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=11 May 2012 |access-date=16 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="SoccerwayKompany">{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/vincent-kompany/1998/ |title=Belgium – V. Kompany |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=16 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206171311/http://int.soccerway.com/players/vincent-kompany/1998/ |archive-date=6 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> midfielder [[Kevin De Bruyne]]  who is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world and his generation;<ref name="SporzaDeBruyne">{{cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/buitenland/Duitsland/1.2400701 |title=De Bruyne is Speler van het Jaar volgens Duitse Journalisten |trans-title=De Bruyne is Player of the Year according to German journalists |language=nl |date=26 July 2015 |access-date=26 July 2015 |publisher=[[Sporza]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716195857/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/buitenland/Duitsland/1.2400701 |archive-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> and winger [[Eden Hazard]], who has been praised as one of [[Chelsea F.C.]]'s greatest players ever<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/26/eden-hazard-can-best-chelsea-player-history/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/26/eden-hazard-can-best-chelsea-player-history/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Telegraph|title= Eden Hazard can be the best Chelsea player in history|date=26 June 2018|access-date=18 November 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and one of his era's best footballers in the world,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://talksport.com/football/426952/eden-hazard-best-in-the-world-chelsea-legend-john-terry/ |website=Talk Sport|title=  BETTER THAN MESSI Eden Hazard is the best player in the WORLD, claims Chelsea legend John Terry|date=5 August 2018|access-date=20 November 2019}}</ref> in the team, he is ranked only after [[Romelu Lukaku]] on Belgium's all-time scoring leaderboard.<ref name="PLEHazard">{{cite web |url=http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2014-15/may/220515-mourinho-and-hazard-claim-barclays-season-awards-for-2015.html |title=Mourinho and Hazard scoop Barclays season awards |publisher=[[Premier League]] |date=22 May 2015 |access-date=26 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526022459/http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2014-15/may/220515-mourinho-and-hazard-claim-barclays-season-awards-for-2015.html |archive-date=26 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="SoccerwayEHazard">{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/eden-hazard/39358/ |title=Belgium – E. Hazard |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=16 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716195811/http://int.soccerway.com/players/eden-hazard/39358/ |archive-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> Honorable mentions of this golden generation are [[Thibaut Courtois]], [[Jan Vertonghen]], [[Dries Mertens]], and [[Toby Alderweireld]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cybrown/2018/07/11/the-2018-world-cup-was-belgiums-golden-generations-best-but-not-last-shot-at-a-major-trophy/#4c3e9de47c9a|website=Forbes|title=For Belgium's 'Golden Generation,' 2018 World Cup Was Best (But Not Last) Shot At A Major Trophy|date=11 July 2018|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> These players helped Belgium finish at the third place of [[2018 FIFA World Cup]], the team's best result at the tournament and reach number one on FIFA ranking twice, since 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44748604|title=World Cup 2018: England finish fourth after Belgium defeat|date=14 July 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=16 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men|title=Men's Ranking|date=24 October 2019|work=FIFA|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref>

==Individual statistics==
===Most capped players===
[[File:Jan Vertonghen Belgium.jpg|thumb|200px|Jan Vertonghen is Belgium's most capped player with 157 appearances.]]
{{As of|2024|9|9}}, the RBFA lists 725 players who appeared on the men's senior national team.<ref name="AllRedD"/> With 157 [[Cap (sport)|cap]]s according to the RBFA, Jan Vertonghen has the most appearances for Belgium.{{efn|name=fifa_unrec}}<ref name="RSSSF BelIntRec"/> Eden Hazard started the most matches as captain (59).<ref name="GamesPerD">{{cite web|url=http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/games-date |title=Games per date |publisher=[[RBFA]] |access-date=21 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510182432/http://www.belgianfootball.be/en/games-date |archive-date=10 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Hector Goetinck]] had the longest career as an international footballer: 17 years, 6 months and 10 days.<ref name="AllRedD"/>

{{updated|9 September 2024}}. ''The records are collected based on data from [https://www.fifa.com FIFA] and [https://www.rsssf.org/ RSSSF]. Statistics include three matches that are unrecognised by FIFA.{{efn|name=3recognised|Note that the RBFA does not count caps earned in the Belgian seven Summer Olympics matches, and that it does include Belgium's friendlies on 14 November 2012, 26 May 2014 and 5 June 2017 that are FIFA-unrecognised.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/7a29d8a2cac79416/original/Century-Club-01112021.pdf|title=FIFA Century Club
|website=FIFA|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> }}''
:''Players in '''bold''' are still active with Belgium.''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="width:30px;"|Rank
! style="width:150px;"|Player
! style="width:50px;"|Caps
! style="width:50px;"|Goals
! style="width:50px;"|Position
! style="width:110px;"|Belgium career
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left|[[Jan Vertonghen]]
|'''157'''
|10
|DF
|2007–2024
|-
|2
| style="text-align:left |'''[[Axel Witsel]]'''
|'''132'''
|12
|MF
|2008–present
|-
|3
| style="text-align:left |[[Toby Alderweireld]]
|'''127'''
|5
|DF
|2009–2022
|-
|4
| style="text-align:left |[[Eden Hazard]]
|'''126'''
|33
|MF/FW
|2008–2022
|-
|5
| style="text-align:left |'''[[Romelu Lukaku]]'''
|'''119'''
|85
|FW
|2010–present
|-
|6
| style="text-align:left|[[Dries Mertens]]
|'''109'''
|21
|FW
|2011–2022
|-
|7
|style="text-align:left;"|'''[[Kevin De Bruyne]]'''
|'''107'''
|30
|MF
|2010–present
|-
|8
| style="text-align:left|[[Thibaut Courtois]]
|'''102'''
|0
|GK
|2011–2023
|-
|9
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Jan Ceulemans]]
|'''96'''
|23
|MF/FW
|{{nowrap|1977–1991}}
|-
|10
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Timmy Simons]]
|'''94'''
|6
|DF/MF
|2001–2016
|}

===Top goalscorers===
{{See also|List of Belgium national football team hat-tricks}}
[[File:Romelu Lukaku (12.06.2021) (cropped).jpg|thumb|200px|Romelu Lukaku is Belgium's top goalscorer with 85 goals.]]

[[Romelu Lukaku]] is the highest-scoring Belgium player with 85 goals.{{efn|name=fifa_unrec}}<ref name="RSSSF BelIntRec"/> Those who scored the most goals in one match are [[Robert De Veen]], [[Albert De Cleyn|Bert De Cleyn]] and [[Josip Weber]] with five;<ref name="AllRedD"/> Lukaku holds the record for the most hat-tricks with four.<ref name="AllRedD"/> Belgium's fastest goal after the initial [[Kick-off (association football)|kick-off]] was scored by [[Christian Benteke]], 8.1 seconds into a match against [[Gibraltar national football team|Gibraltar]] on 10 October 2016.<ref name="GamesPerD"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2016/m=10/news=benteke-speeds-into-the-record-books-2842500.html |title=Benteke speeds into the record books |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=11 October 2016 |access-date=15 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015094445/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y%3D2016/m%3D10/news%3Dbenteke-speeds-into-the-record-books-2842500.html |archive-date=15 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{updated|9 September 2024}}. ''The records are collected based on data from [https://www.fifa.com FIFA] and [https://www.rsssf.org/ RSSSF]. Statistics include three matches that are unrecognised by FIFA.{{efn|name=3unrecognised|Note that the RBFA does not count caps earned in the Belgian seven Summer Olympics matches, and that it does include Belgium's friendlies on 14 November 2012, 26 May 2014 and 5 June 2017 that are not FIFA-recognised – the former two due to an excessive number of substitutions according to the Laws of the Game,<ref name="FArules"/> the latter because of a lacking official request.<ref name="Czechmatch"/>}}''
:''Players in '''bold''' are still active with Belgium.''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="width:30px;"|Rank
! style="width:150px;"|Player
! style="width:50px;"|Goals
! style="width:50px;"|Caps
! style="width:50px;"|Ratio
! style="width:110px;"|Belgium career
|-
|1
|style="text-align:left|'''[[Romelu Lukaku]]''' <small>([[List of international goals scored by Romelu Lukaku|list]])</small>
|'''85'''
|119
|{{#expr:85/119 round 2}}
|2010–present
|-
|2
|style="text-align:left|[[Eden Hazard]]
|'''33'''
|126
|{{#expr:33/126 round 2}}
|2008–2022
|-
|rowspan="3"|3
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Bernard Voorhoof]]
|'''30'''
|61
|{{#expr:30/61 round 2}}
|{{nowrap|1928–1940}}
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Paul Van Himst]]
|'''30'''
|81
|{{#expr:30/81 round 2}}
|1960–1974
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''[[Kevin De Bruyne]]'''
|'''30'''
|107
|{{#expr:30/107 round 2}}
|2010–present
|-
|rowspan=1|6
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Marc Wilmots]]
|'''28'''
|70
|{{#expr:28/70 round 2}}
|1990–2002
|-
|rowspan=2|7
|style="text-align:left;"|'''[[Michy Batshuayi]]'''
|'''27'''
|55
|{{#expr:27/55 round 2}}
|2015–present
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Jef Mermans|Joseph Mermans]]
|'''27'''
|56
|{{#expr:27/56 round 2}}
|1945–1956
|-
|rowspan=2|9
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Robert De Veen]]
|'''26'''
|23
|{{#expr:26/23 round 2}}
|1906–1913
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Raymond Braine]]
|'''26'''
|55
|{{#expr:26/55 round 2}}
|1925–1939
|}

==Competitive record==
{{See also|Belgium national football team records and statistics#Achievements|l1=Achievements}}

===FIFA World Cup===
{{Main|Belgium at the FIFA World Cup}}
Belgium failed to progress past the first round of their earliest five World Cup participations. After two scoreless defeats at the [[1930 FIFA World Cup|inaugural World Cup]] in 1930,<ref name="rsssf30"/> the team scored in their first-round knockout matches in [[1934 FIFA World Cup|the 1934]] and [[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938 editions]]—but only enough to save their honours.<ref name="rsssf34">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/34full.html |title=World Cup 1934 finals |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145038/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/34full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="rsssf38"/> In 1954, they drew with England (4–4 after extra time),<ref name="rsssf54"/> and in 1970, they won their first World Cup match, against [[El Salvador national football team|El Salvador]] (3–0).<ref name="rsssf70"/>

From 1982 until 2002, Belgium qualified for six successive World Cup, and in the tournament finals they advanced beyond the first round five times.<ref name="BBC230514"/> In the 1982 FIFA World Cup opener, Belgium beat defending champions Argentina 1–0. Their tournament ended in the second group stage, after a [[Poland national football team|Polish]] hat-trick by [[Zbigniew Boniek]] and a 0–1 loss against the [[Soviet Union national football team|Soviet Union]].<ref name="rsssf82"/>

[[File:Eeuubelgica1930.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.2|United States–Belgium in 1930 was the joint first ever World Cup match.|alt=Match phase with aerial play]]

At Mexico 1986, the Belgian team achieved their then best-ever World Cup run at the time. In the knockout phase as [[Glossary of association football terms#U|underdogs]] they beat the Soviets after [[Overtime (sports)|extra time]] (3–4);<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2010/06/02/top-10-world-cup-games/slide/3-belgium-4-3-ussr-1986/ |title=Top 10 World Cup Games – 3. Belgium 4–3 USSR 1986 |first=Glen |last=Levy |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=18 May 2010 |access-date=25 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145129/http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2010/06/02/top-10-world-cup-games/slide/3-belgium-4-3-ussr-1986/ |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> the unnoticed offside position of Jan Ceulemans, during the initial ninety minutes, allowed him to [[equaliser (sports)|equalise]] (2–2) and force the match into extra time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/dmf20140621_01150053 |title='Duivelsvloek' houdt al 28 jaar stand tegen Rusland, morgen ook? |trans-title='Devil curse' already lasts for 28 years against Russia, tomorrow as well? |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |author=vml |language=nl |date=21 June 2014 |access-date=20 September 2015}}</ref> They also beat [[Spain national football team|Spain]], in a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] after a 1–1 draw, but lost to eventual champions Argentina in the semi-finals 2–0, and France in the third-place match (4–2).<ref name="rsssf86">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/86full.html |title=World Cup 1986 finals |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145313/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/86full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

In the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Belgium dominated periods of their second-round match against England;{{sfn|Edworthy|1997|pp=138–139}} Enzo Scifo and Jan Ceulemans hit the [[Glossary of association football terms#W|woodwork]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/gh92s49sk |title=26 juni 1990: de dag dat de goden blind waren |trans-title=26 June 1990: the day the gods were blind |language=nl |newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |first=Michaël |last=Van Damme |date=26 June 2010 |access-date=19 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721110630/http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/gh92s49sk |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref> [[David Platt]]'s [[Volley (association football)|volley]] in the final minute of extra time, described as "nearly blind" by Richard Witzig,{{sfn|Witzig|2006|p=167}} avoided an apparently goalless draw and led to the sudden elimination of the Belgians.<ref name="rsssf90">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/90full.html |title=World Cup 1990 finals |access-date=19 July 2016 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421181034/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/90full.html |archive-date=21 April 2009 }}</ref>

In 1994, a 3–2 defeat to defending champions [[Germany national football team|Germany]] saw Belgium go out in the second round again.<ref name="rsssf94"/> Afterwards, the entire Belgian delegation criticised referee [[Kurt Röthlisberger]] for not awarding a penalty for a [[Fouls and misconduct (association football)|foul]] on Belgian [[Josip Weber]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/article/detail/2679500/1994/07/04/Belgen-furieus-op-Rothlisberger.dhtml |newspaper=[[Trouw]] |first=Fred |last=Buddenberg |title=Belgen furieus op Röthlisberger |trans-title=Belgians furious with Röthlisberger |language=nl |date=4 July 1994 |access-date=20 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145344/http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/article/detail/2679500/1994/07/04/Belgen-furieus-op-Rothlisberger.dhtml |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Three draws in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup were insufficient for Belgium to reach the knockout stage.<ref name="rsssf98" /> With two draws, the 2002 FIFA World Cup started poorly for Belgium, but they won the decisive group match against Russia 3–2. In the second round, they faced eventual World Cup winners Brazil; Belgium lost 2–0 after Marc Wilmots' headed opening goal was disallowed due to a "phantom foul" on [[Roque Júnior]], as Witzig named it.<ref name="rsssf2002">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2002full.html |title=World Cup 2002 – Match Details |first=Erlan |last=Manaschev |date=3 July 2008 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145417/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2002full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>{{sfn|Witzig|2006|p=289}}

In 2014, Belgium beat all their group opponents with a single-goal difference.<ref name="rsssf2014">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2014full.html |title=World Cup 2014 – Match Details |first=Neil |last=Morrison |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145500/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2014full.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Thereafter, they played an entertaining round of 16 match against the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/belgium-vs-u-s-was-the-best-match-of-the-world-cup-so-far/ |title=U.S. vs. Belgium Was the Best Match of the World Cup So Far |author=[[Carl Bialik|Bialik, Carl]] |publisher=[[FiveThirtyEight]] |date=10 July 2014 |access-date=25 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145621/http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/belgium-vs-u-s-was-the-best-match-of-the-world-cup-so-far/ |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> in which American goalkeeper [[Tim Howard]] made 15 saves.{{efn|FIFA's initial match statistics showed 16 saves, and many news sources continue to use this number. The official FIFA statistics were updated on 5 July 2014 to show 15 saves.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/39/98/53/eng_56_0701_bel-usa_usa_playerstatistics_neutral.pdf |title=Official FIFA statistics, updated 5 July 2014 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=5 July 2014 |access-date=29 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145714/http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/39/98/53/eng_56_0701_bel-usa_usa_playerstatistics_neutral.pdf |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>}} However, they defeated the United States 2–1 in extra time.<ref name="rsssf2014" /> In a balanced quarter-finals, Argentina eliminated Belgium, after a 1–0 victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255953/match=300186504/statistics.html#nosticky |title=2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Matches – Argentina-Belgium – Live Statistics |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=27 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701145935/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round%3D255953/match%3D300186504/statistics.html |archive-date=1 July 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 World Cup]], Belgium started with five consecutive victories (including [[2018 FIFA World Cup Group G|group wins]] over [[Panama national football team|Panama]], [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]] and England). In the fourth, in the round of 16 match against [[Japan national football team|Japan]], they suffered a major setback in the second half by being led 0–2. However, Japan, which displayed a very open and offensive game, did not withdraw sufficiently in defense and left a lot of opportunities to Belgium who<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/actualite/express/7032-coupe-du-monde-2019-nouvelles-d-asie-2|title=Coupe du Monde 2022 : nouvelles d'Asie|website=Lucarne opposée|date=2 July 2019|accessdate=29 January 2022|author=Boris Ghanem|language=fr|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129191337/https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/actualite/express/7032-coupe-du-monde-2019-nouvelles-d-asie-2|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/culture-foot/l-autre-japon/6698-japon-football-japonais-quel-avenir|title=Japon : Football japonais, quel avenir ?|website=Lucarne opposée|date=29 March 2019|accessdate=29 January 2022|author=Ibrahim Ouazzani|language=fr|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129191336/https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/culture-foot/l-autre-japon/6698-japon-football-japonais-quel-avenir|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.journaldujapon.com/2018/07/14/coupe-du-monde-2018-bilan/|title=Coupe du Monde 2018 : folie et cruauté|website=Journal du Japon|date=14 July 2018|accessdate=29 January 2022|author=Martin Karpinski|language=fr}}</ref> turned the tide and eventually won (3–2) with goals from [[Jan Vertonghen]] and late substitutes [[Marouane Fellaini]] and [[Nacer Chadli]]. Belgium then defeated World Cup favourites Brazil 2–1 on the back of an early [[Fernandinho (footballer, born May 1985)|Fernandinho]] [[own goal]] and a goal by [[Kevin De Bruyne]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Martin |title=Brazil's bizarre own-goal gives Belgium the lead |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2018/07/06/belgium-brazil-goal-fernandinho-world-cup/763855002/ |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=7 July 2018 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Gannett]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jonathan |title=Brazil knocked out of World Cup by Kevin De Bruyne and brilliant Belgium |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/06/brazil-belgium-world-cup-quarter-final-match-report |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=7 July 2018 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian News and Media Limited]]}}</ref> and reached the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|semi-finals]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Martin |title=Belgium fights off Brazil's comeback to reach World Cup semifinals |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2018/07/06/belgium-brazil-world-cup/764264002/ |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=7 July 2018 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Gannett]]}}</ref> Belgium lost to [[France national football team|France]] 0–1 in the semi-finals, as France displays a style of play opposite to that of Japan by basing themselves above all on a rigorous defense, the possession left to the adversary and fast counter-attacks (which aroused criticisms from certain Belgian players on the French style of play<ref>{{cite web|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/hauts-de-france/france-belgique-apres-defaite-hazard-courtois-kompany-mauvais-perdants-1510675.html|title=France-Belgique : après la défaite, Hazard, Courtois et Kompany mauvais perdants|date=11 July 2018|accessdate=29 January 2022|author=Emmanuel Magdelaine|website=France 3 TV Régions Haut-de-France|language=fr}}</ref>); but rebounded to win 2–0 in their second victory over England in the tournament to secure third place and the best ever World Cup result for the Belgian national team. Some players that notably contributed were captain [[Eden Hazard]], [[Thibaut Courtois]] and [[Romelu Lukaku]], who were later recognised by FIFA as the tournament second best player ([[FIFA World Cup awards|Silver Ball]]), best goalkeeper (Golden Glove) and third top scorer (Bronze Boot), respectively.<ref>{{cite news|title=Five reasons why Hazard has reached new heights|url=https://www.fifa.com/the-best-fifa-football-awards/news/five-reasons-eden-hazard-new-heights|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727054150/https://www.fifa.com/the-best-fifa-football-awards/news/five-reasons-eden-hazard-new-heights|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 July 2020|date=13 August 2018 |access-date=18 November 2019 |newspaper=FIFA |publisher=[[Gannett]]}}</ref>
{{clear}}
{{Belgium FIFA World Cup record}}

===UEFA European Championship===
{{Main|Belgium at the UEFA European Championship}}
[[File:BEL-FRG 1980-06-22.svg|thumb|220px|Line-ups of the [[UEFA Euro 1980 final|Euro 1980 final]]: Belgium (red) against West Germany|alt=Scheme of football pitch with the line-ups of a red team in 4-4-2 formation against a white team in 5-3-2 formation]]

With only seven successful qualification campaigns out of seventeen, Belgium's performance in the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]] does not compare to their World Cup record, yet it holds the highest record compare to their World Cup performance. Belgium has hosted or co-hosted the event twice; they were chosen to accommodate the [[UEFA Euro 1972]] from three candidates,{{efn|The other bids were from England and Italy,<ref>{{cite news |title=Sportflitsen |trans-title=Sports flashes |url=http://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd%3A011236337%3Ampeg21%3Aa0119 |newspaper=[[De Tijd (Netherlands)|De Tijd]] |via=[[Delpher]] |language=nl |date=14 March 1972 |access-date=19 September 2015 }}</ref> whose teams did not reach the semi-finals.<ref name="rsssf72"/>}} and hosted [[UEFA Euro 2000]] with the Netherlands.<ref name="rsssf2000">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/00e.html |title=European Championship 2000 |first1=John |last1=Beuker |first2=Karel |last2=Stokkermans |date=17 January 2004 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150016/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/00e.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

At Euro 1972, Belgium finished third after losing 1–2 against West Germany and beating Hungary 2–1.<ref name="rsssf72">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/72e.html |title=European Championship 1972 |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Martín |last2=Tabeira |date=31 January 2007 |access-date=10 November 2014 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150050/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/72e.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> The team's best continental result is their second place at [[UEFA Euro 1980|Euro 1980]] in Italy. By finishing as [[UEFA Euro 1980 Group 2|group winners]], Belgium reached [[UEFA Euro 1980 final|the final]], to face West Germany. The West German [[Horst Hrubesch]] scored first, but [[René Vandereycken]] equalised courtesy of a penalty. Two minutes before the regular playing time ended, Hrubesch scored again denying Belgium a first European titles.<ref name="rsssf80">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/80e.html |title=European Championship 1980 |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Martín |last2=Tabeira |date=28 March 2007 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150124/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/80e.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

At Euro 1984, in their last and decisive group match against [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]], the Belgian team took a 0–2 lead, but the Danes won the match 3–2.<ref name="rsssf84det">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/84e-full.html |title=European Championship 1984 – Final Tournament – Full Details |first=Barrie |last=Courtney |date=19 June 2004 |access-date=27 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011126124457/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/84e-full.html |archive-date=26 November 2001 |website=[[RSSSF]] |url-status=live }}</ref> Sixteen years later, Belgium automatically reappeared at UEFA's national team tournament as co-hosts. After winning the Euro 2000 opener against [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] 2–1,<ref>{{cite news|title=Belgium start with a bang |url=http://www.euro2000.org/en/tournament/match/0,1074,9666,00.html |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=10 June 2000 |access-date=30 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010105152100/http://www.euro2000.org/en/tournament/match/0%2C1074%2C9666%2C00.html |archive-date=5 January 2001 |url-status=dead }}</ref> two 2–0 losses against eventual runners-up Italy and [[Turkey national football team|Turkey]] eliminated the Belgians from the tournament by the end of the group stage.<ref name="rsssf2000"/>

In spite of winning with broad margins against the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] (3–0) and [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]] (0–4) at Euro 2016,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/match?gameId=438183 |title=Belgium ease to 3–0 victory vs. Rep. Ireland |publisher=[[ESPN FC]] |date=18 June 2016 |access-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614185857/http://www.espnfc.us/match?gameId=438183 |archive-date=14 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espnfc.us/match?gameId=438163 |title=Hazard shines as Belgium thrash Hungary |publisher=[[ESPN FC]] |date=26 June 2016 |access-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721111228/http://www.espnfc.us/match?gameId=438163 |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref> Belgium exited in the quarter-finals. As during the tournament qualifiers, Wales defeated Belgium. This time by 3–1.<ref name="EC2016Wal">{{cite web |url=http://www.espnfc.com/match?gameId=438159 |title=Wales stun Belgium to reach Euro semifinal |publisher=[[ESPN FC]] |date=1 July 2016 |access-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721111357/http://www.espnfc.com/match?gameId=438159 |archive-date=21 July 2016}}</ref>
{{Belgium UEFA European Championship record}}

===UEFA Nations League===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!colspan="23" style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|UEFA Nations League
|-
!colspan="12" style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}" | League phase
!rowspan="7"|
!colspan="10" style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}" |Finals
|-
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|Season
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|LG|League (A, B, C or D)}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|Grp|Group (1, 2, 3 or 4)}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|P/R|Promotion/relegation at end of season}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|RK|Overall rank}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|Year
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|Host(s)
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn, including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|Squad
|-
|[[2018–19 UEFA Nations League|2018–19]]
|[[2018–19 UEFA Nations League A|A]]
|[[2018–19 UEFA Nations League A#Group2|2]]
|2nd||4||3||0||1||9||6||{{Same position}}||5th
|[[2019 UEFA Nations League Finals|2019]]
|align=left|{{flag|Portugal}}
|colspan="8"|''Did not qualify''
|- bgcolor=#9acdff
|[[2020–21 UEFA Nations League|2020–21]]
|[[2020–21 UEFA Nations League A|A]]
|[[2020–21 UEFA Nations League A#Group2|2]]
|1st||6||5||0||1||16||6||{{Same position}}||4th
|[[2021 UEFA Nations League Finals|2021]]
|align=left|{{flag|Italy}}
|4th||2||0||0||2||3||5
|[[2021 UEFA Nations League Finals squads#Belgium|Squad]]
|-
|[[2022–23 UEFA Nations League|2022–23]]
|[[2022–23 UEFA Nations League A|A]]
|[[2022–23 UEFA Nations League A#Group 4|4]]
|2nd||6||3||1||2||11||8||{{Same position}}||7th
|[[2023 UEFA Nations League Finals|2023]]
|align=left|{{flag|Netherlands}}
|colspan="8"|''Did not qualify''
|-
|[[2024–25 UEFA Nations League|2024–25]]
|[[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A|A]]
|[[2024–25 UEFA Nations League A#Group 2|2]]
|colspan="9"|''In progress''
|align=left|[[2025 UEFA Nations League Finals|2025]]
|colspan="9"|''To be determined''
|-
!colspan="4"style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|Total
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|16
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|11
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|1
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|4
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|36
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|20
!colspan="2"style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|4th|Highest finish}}
!colspan="3"style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|{{Tooltip|1/3|Number of tournaments qualified for}}
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|2
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|0
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|0
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|2
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|3
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|5
!style="color:yellow; background:#e62020; {{box-shadow border|a|black|2px}}"|—
|-
|colspan="99" style="background:white;padding:.5em"|
{|
|-
|{{color box|gold}} '''Champions'''&nbsp;&nbsp;{{color box|silver}} '''Runners-up'''&nbsp;&nbsp;{{color box|#cc9966}} '''Third place'''&nbsp;&nbsp;{{Color box|#9acdff}} Fourth place &nbsp;&nbsp;
|}
|}

===Olympic Games===
{{Main|Belgium at the Olympics}}
[[File:BEL-LUX SO1928.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|Hectic phase during the goal-rich Olympic win against [[Luxembourg national football team|Luxembourg]] in 1928 (5–3)|alt=Aerial play with two Belgian players and the Luxembourg keeper trying to touch the ball]]

Football tournament for senior men's national teams took place in six Summer Olympic between 1908 and 1936. The Belgian squad participated in all three [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Football at the Summer Olympic]] in the 1920s and kept the gold medal at home at the 1920 edition.<ref name="results"/><ref name="rsssfOG20">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1920f.html |title=Games of the VIII. Olympiad – Football Tournament |first1=Karel |last1=Stokkermans |first2=Mikael |last2=Jönsson |date=26 June 2008 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150243/http://www.rsssf.com/tableso/ol1920f.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> Apart from the proper national team, two other Belgian delegations appeared at the Olympic. At the [[Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics|1900 Summer Olympic]], [[Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads#Université de Bruxelles|a Belgian representation]] with mainly students won bronze,<ref name="rsssfOG00">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |title=Games of the II. Olympiad – Football Tournament |first1=Søren |last1=Elbech |first2=Karel |last2=Stokkermans |date=21 July 2011 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150404/http://www.rsssf.com/tableso/ol1900f.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref> and at [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics|the 2008 edition]], Belgium's U-23 selection placed fourth.<ref name="rsssfOG2008">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol2008f.html |title=Games of the XXIX. Olympiad – Football Tournament |first=Karel |last=Stokkermans |date=14 March 2013 |access-date=27 August 2015 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701150434/http://www.rsssf.com/tableso/ol2008f.html |archive-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

[[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads# Belgium|Belgium's 1920 Olympic squad]] was given a [[bye (sports)|bye]] into the quarter-finals, where they won 3–1 against Spain, and reached the semi-finals, where they beat the Netherlands 3–0. In the first half of the finals against Czechoslovakia, the Belgians led 2–0.<ref name="rsssfOG20"/> Forward Robert Coppée converted a disputed early [[penalty kick (association football)|penalty]], and the action in which attacker [[Henri Larnoe]] doubled the score was also a matter of debate.<ref name="ISOH"/><ref name="FIFA1920"/> After the [[Fouls and misconduct (association football)|dismissal]] of the Czechoslovak left-back Karel Steiner, the discontented visitors left the pitch in the 40th minute. Afterwards, the away team reported their reasons for protest to the Olympic organisation;<ref name="ISOH">{{cite journal |first=Juan |last=Fauria í García |date=1993 |title=The 1920 Football (Soccer) Tournament |url=http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n4/JOHv1n4d.pdf#search='1920%20Czechoslovakia%20football' |journal=ISOH Magazine |volume=1 |issue=4 |pages=5–7 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228140336/http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n4/JOHv1n4d.pdf |archive-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> these complaints were dismissed and the Czechoslovaks were disqualified.{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=76}} The 2–0 score was allowed to stand and Belgium were crowned the champions.{{sfn|Henshaw|1979|p=76}}
{{Belgium national football team at the Summer Olympics record}}

==Honours==
{{multiple image
|align = right
|direction = horizontal
|image1 = Belgium 02-09-1920.jpg
|width1 = 240
|image2 = 2000-158-19 Medal, Olympics, 1920, Antwerp, Gold, Obverse (7268561188) (cropped).jpg
|width2 = 157
|footer = Belgium's 1920 Olympic champions, and one of the 154 gold medals awarded at these [[1920 Summer Olympics|Games of the VII Olympic]]
}}

=== Major competitions ===
* '''[[FIFA World Cup]]'''
** {{Bronze3}} Third place (1): [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]]
* '''[[UEFA European Championship]]'''
** {{Silver2}} Runners-up (1): [[UEFA Euro 1980|1980]]
** {{Bronze3}} Third place (1): [[UEFA Euro 1972|1972]]
* '''[[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]'''
** {{Gold1}} '''Gold medal (1):''' [[Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920]]
** {{Bronze3}} Bronze medal (1): [[Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics|1900]]

===Friendly===
* '''[[Kirin Cup]]'''
** {{Gold1}} '''Champions (1):''' 1999

===Awards===
* '''[[FIFA World Cup awards|FIFA Fair Play Trophy]]'''
** '''Winners''': [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]]
* '''[[FIFA Men's World Ranking|FIFA Team of the Year]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |date=22 January 2024 |title=FIFA Team of the Year |url=https://www.topendsports.com/sport/soccer/awards/team-of-the-year-fifa.htm#google_vignette |access-date= |website=topendsports.com |language=en}}</ref>'''
** '''Winners''': [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|2015]], [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|2018]], [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|2019]], [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|2020]], [[FIFA Men's World Ranking|2021]]
* [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award|'''Belgian Sports Merit Award''']]<ref name="eurosport42">{{cite web |title=Red Lions volgen Nina Derwael op met winst van Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste |url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20191107_04705232 |publisher=[[De Standaard]] |language=nl |publication-date=7 November 2019}}</ref>
** '''Winners''': 1980
* '''[[Belgian Sportsman of the Year|Belgian Sportsteam of the Year]]<ref>{{cite news |date=14 December 2014 |title=Rode Duivels zijn grote slokop op Sportgala |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/ander_nieuws/1.2181061 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214234955/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/ander_nieuws/1.2181061 |archive-date=14 December 2014 |access-date=14 December 2014 |publisher=[[Sporza]] |language=nl}}</ref>'''
** '''Winners''': 2013, 2014

===Summary===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:30%; font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!Competition!!{{Gold1}}!!{{Silver2}}!!{{Bronze3}}!!Total
|-
|align=left|[[FIFA World Cup]]
|0||0||1||1
|-
| align="left" |[[Olympic Games]]
|1||0||1||2
|-
| align="left" |[[UEFA European Championship]]
|0||1||1||2
|-
| align="left" |[[UEFA Nations League]]
|0||0||0||0
|-
!Total!!1!!1!!3!!5
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Association football|Belgium}}
* [[Belgium national football team results (unofficial matches)|Belgium men's national football team results – unofficial matches]]
* [[DR Congo national football team#Early history|Belgian Congo men's national football team]] (1948–60)
* [[Belgium national football B team|Belgium men's national football B team]]
* [[Belgium national youth football team|Belgium men's national youth football team]] (U-15 – U-21 squads)
* [[Belgian Pro League|Belgian First Division A]]
* [[Belgium women's national football team]]
* [[Sport in Belgium]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bernhart |first1=Patrick |last2=Houtman |first2=Joost |title=Zo werden wij wereldkampioen |trans-title=That is how we became world champions |language=nl |year=2014 |publisher=Manteau |location=Antwerp |isbn=978-90-223-2972-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bj5HAwAAQBAJ }} (Unpaginated version consulted online via [[Google Books]]; the particular phrase by [[Pelé]] can be retrieved with ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=bj5HAwAAQBAJ&q=vriendschappelijke+pele this search]''.)
* {{cite book |last=Boin |first=Victor |author-link=Victor Boin |title=Het gulden jubileumboek van de K.B.V.B. 1895–1945. Geschiedenis van de voetbalsport in Belgie en in Belgisch Kongo |trans-title=The golden jubilee book of the R.B.F.A. 1895–1945. History of the football sport in Belgium and in Belgian Congo |language=nl |year=1945 |publisher=Les Éditions Leclercq & De Haas |location=Brussels }} (Numberless page copy consulted online on 25 June 2014 on [http://goaaal.arch.be/index.php?l=nl&page=varia GOAAAL! Voetbalvaria (by RBFA)])
* {{cite book |last=De Bock |first=Wim |title=Houwaart de Mos Boskamp |language=nl |year=2013 |publisher=Uitgeverij De Buitenspelers |location=Amsterdam |isbn=978-90-71359-69-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qTp3AAAAQBAJ }} (Numberless book pages consulted online via [[Google Books]])
* {{cite book |last=de Vries |first=André |title=Flanders: A Cultural History |year=2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-19-531493-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QvSovOY_VV0C }}
* {{cite book |last=Edworthy |first=Niall |title=England: The Official F.A. History |year=1997 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-1-85227-699-7 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Fraiponts |first1=Jean |last2=Willocx |first2=Dirk |title=Kroniek van het Belgische voetbal / Pioniers en Rode Duivels – 1863–1906 |trans-title=The chronicle of Belgian football / Pioneers and Red Devils – 1863–1906 |language=nl |year=2003 |publisher=ASSOC.BE bvba |location=Antwerp |isbn=978-90-77314-01-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6F74rQEACAAJ }} (Extract consulted online on 30 August 2010 on [http://www.beerschot-athletic-club.be/indexkous.htm Beerschot Athletic Club])
* {{cite book |last=Goldblatt |first=David |author-link1=David Goldblatt (writer) |title=The Ball is Round |year=2008 |publisher=Riverhead Trade |location=New York |isbn=978-1-59448-296-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HAUMGbLH5zoC }}
* {{cite book |last1=Guldemont |first1=Henry |last2=Deps |first2=Bob |title=100 ans de football en Belgique'': ''1895–1995, Union royale belge des sociétés de football association |trans-title=100 years of football in Belgium: 1895–1995, Royal Belgian Football Association |language=fr |year=1995 |publisher=Vif |location=Brussels |isbn=978-90-5466-151-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Henshaw |first=Richard |title=The Encyclopedia of World Soccer |year=1979 |publisher=New Republic Books |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-0-915220-34-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pHtYAAAAYAAJ }}
* {{cite book |last=Hubert |first=Christian |title=Les diables rouges |trans-title=The Red Devils |language=fr |year=1980 |publisher=Arts & voyages |location=Brussels |isbn=978-2-8016-0046-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Kassimeris |first=Christos |title=European Football in Black and White: Tackling Racism in Football |year=2007 |publisher=Lexington Books |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=978-0-7391-1959-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7nyBAAAAMAAJ }}
* {{cite book |last=Lisi |first=Clemente Angelo |title=A history of the World Cup: 1930–2006 |location=Lanham, MD |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8108-5905-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yX3l3vrNZSwC }}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Murray |title=The World's Game: A History of Soccer |year=1998 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |location=Champaign, Illinois |isbn=978-0-252-06718-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRkIAcCB_0EC }}
* {{cite book |last1=Parrish |first1=Charles |last2=Nauright |first2=John |title=Soccer around the World: A Cultural Guide to the World's Favorite Sport |location=Santa Barbara, California |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-61069-302-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N6qSAwAAQBAJ }}
* {{cite book |last=Russell |first=Jeffrey Burton |author-link=Jeffrey Burton Russell |title=The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-8014-9409-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D2-Na937xRYC }}
* {{cite book |last=Snyder |first=John |title=Soccer's Most Wanted |year=2001 |publisher=Potomac Books, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-1-57488-365-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s9IS5gcKNJEC }} (Unpaginated version consulted online via [[Google Books]]; the particular fact is mentioned in chapter "The Only Time It Happened", section "10. Belgium".)
* {{cite book |author=[[Swedish Olympic Committee]] |editor=[[Erik Bergvall|Bergvall, Erik]] |title=The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912 |year=1913 |publisher=Wahlstrom and Widstrand |location=Stockholm |url=http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1912/1912.pdf |access-date=21 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207072609/http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1912/1912.pdf |archive-date=7 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite book |last=Willems |first=Raf |title=Sympathy for the Devils |language=nl |year=2013 |publisher=Lannoo |location=Tielt |isbn=978-94-014-0758-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4zGAwAAQBAJ }}
* {{cite book |last=Witzig |first=Richard |title=The Global Art of Soccer |year=2006 |publisher=CusiBoy Publishing |location=Harahan |isbn=978-0-9776688-0-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2T0ZD5S86QC }}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Aerts |first1=Bart |last2=Buyse |first2=Frank |last3=Colin |first3=François |last4=Cornez |first4=Pierre |last5=Decoster |first5=Gilles |last6=Deferme |first6=Dirk |title=De Rode Duivels. Het officiële boek |trans-title=The Red Devils. The official book |language=nl |year=2013 |publisher=Uitgeverij Kannibaal |location=Veurne |isbn=978-94-91376-66-5 |ref=none |display-authors=etal}}
* {{cite book |last=Colin |first=François |title=De Rode Duivels 1900–2014 |trans-title=The Red Devils 1900–2014 |language=nl |year=2014 |publisher=Uitgeverij Kannibaal |location=Veurne |isbn=978-94-91376-77-1 |ref=none |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SeRVnwEACAAJ}}
* {{cite book |last=Hubert |first=Christian |title=De Montevideo à Orlando |trans-title=From Montevideo to Orlando |language=fr |year=1994 |publisher=Labor |location=Brussels |isbn=978-2-8040-1009-6 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last=Hubert |first=Christian |title=Le siècle des Diables Rouges |trans-title=The century of the Red Devils |language=fr |year=2006 |publisher=Luc Pire |location=Brussels |isbn=978-2-87415-684-7 |ref=none}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Belgium national association football team}}
* {{Official website|https://www.rbfa.be/en|RBFA official website}} {{in lang|nl|en|fr}}
* [https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/BEL FIFA team profile]
* [https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/bel/ UEFA team profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100022/http://www.eloratings.net/Belgium.htm ELO team records] (archived)
* [http://www.belgian-team.be/ Belgian national team news website] {{in lang|fr}}

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