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Belgium finished third in the 2018 World Cup and will head to Qatar looking to recreate that run of form in this year's competition.
Back in 2018, many of the Belgian players were at their peak. Eden Hazard was one of the best players in the world, while others like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku were also in their late 20s.
Hazard has barely played in recent seasons, and Lukaku will head to the World Cup carrying an injury. De Bruyne remains the only consistent source of quality, and there is hope that others will step up to the task.
Belgium find themselves in Group F alongside Canada, Croatia, and Morocco and will arguably be one of the favorites to qualify. We look at three players, aged 25 or younger, who are likely to make an impact for the side in Qatar.
#1 Arthur Theate - Rennes - Centre back
Arthur Theate is a 22-year-old centre-back who plays for Rennes in Ligue 1. He began his career at Oostende in 2020 before spending a season on loan at Bologna.
Earlier this year, Theate signed for Rennes and has made 19 appearances for the club, scoring two goals. The youngster is a left-footed centre-back and can play on the right or left-hand side of a back four or three.
Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld remain Belgium's two main centre-backs but are 35 and 33, respectively. Theate is guaranteed to get a chance or two, given the need for rotation, and could even play if manager Roberto Martinez uses a back three.
Centre-backs continue to be in high demand for most teams, and if Theate performs well, he might attract interest from clubs in January or the summer.
#2 Charles De Ketelaere - AC Milan - Midfielder
Charles De Ketelaere is a 21-year-old attacking midfielder who can also play as a right winger. He began his career at Club Brugge but signed for AC Milan earlier this year.
He made 49 appearances for Club Brugge last season, scoring 18 goals and providing 10 assists. He is yet to score for AC Milan but has also been injured for a few games.
De Ketelaere doesn't seem like he would be a pacy winger because of his tall frame, but his creativity and ability to finish make him a top talent. He is likely to be used as a depth option in the group stages to avoid injuries to more senior players.
The young Belgian has a promising future ahead of him, and his main goal at the World Cup should be to learn from this experience.
#3 Loïs Openda - RC Lens - Forward
Loïs Openda is a 22-year-old striker who plays for RC Lens in Ligue 1. He signed for the club earlier this season from Club Brugge after spending a couple of seasons on loan at Vitesse Arnhem.
He has made 14 appearances for Lens, scoring seven goals, and that form has bought him a ticket to Qatar in the Belgium squad.
Openda is a relative newcomer to the Belgian national team and has only made four appearances, scoring one goal.
With Lukaku still injured and due to return at some point during the group stage, it leaves Michy Batshuayi and Openda as the only two recognized strikers in the squad.
Openda has a good chance of getting minutes in the first few games and he will need to prove himself to feature regularly.
