UEFA EURO 2016 Group E – Belgium Team Predictions, Odds and Preview

Belgium – No. 2 in FIFA World Rankings

Team Strengths:

Belgium have an excellent squad with top-quality players at seemingly every position, but they are especially stacked with depth up front.

Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are coming off excellent seasons in the English Premier League, and while Eden Hazard had a forgettable campaign, he is a supreme talent who’s just one year removed from being the league’s Player of the Year. De Bruyne and Hazard are both +1,400 contenders to win player of the tournament.

Manager Marc Wilmots also has the option to bring in speedy wingers like Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco or game-changing goalscores like Christian Benteke, Divock Origi, and Michy Batshuayi, depending on what a particular situation calls for.

Team Weaknesses:

Belgium’s loaded squad continues to have one glaring weakness: full-back. They still don’t have any decent options there, which is why Wilmots will likely be forced to continue playing Toby Alderweireld and/or Thomas Vermaelen – a formidable central defensive partnership for their club Tottenham – out wide. The presence of captain Vincent Kompany will also be missed in the center of their defense.

Apart from that, though, it’s hard to find any more weak spots in their squad – on paper at least. The Red Devils are +110 favorites to win Group E and +900 to win the tournament.

Team Stats (During Euro Qualifiers):

Category | Stat
Goals Scored Per Game | 2.4
Goals Conceded Per Game | 0.5
Goal Attempts Per Game | 20.7
Pass Completion Percentage | 90%
Ball Possession Percentage | 62%

Starting Lineup:

Position | Name (Age) | Career Caps | Goals
Goalie | Thibaut Courtois (24) | 34 | 0
Defender | Jason Denayer (20) | 5 | 0
Defender | Nicolas Lombaerts (31) | 39 | 3
Defender | Toby Alderweireld (27) | 52 | 1
Defender | Jan Vertonghen (30) | 51 | 1
Midfielder | Radja Nainggolan (28) | 18 | 4
Midfielder | Axel Witsel (27) | 64 | 6
Midfielder | Marouane Fellaini (28) | 65 | 15
Forward | Kevin De Bruyne (24) | 34 | 11
Forward | Eden Hazard (25) | 62 | 12
Forward | Romelu Lukaku (23) | 41 | 9

Writer’s Prediction

Belgium aren’t quite ready to conquer Europe as they fall in the semifinal stage.

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