Rudi Garcia's Arrival Has Revitalised Belgium's National Team Performance Ahead Of World Cup

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Thomas Meunier has commended Belgium's manager, Rudi Garcia, for his immediate influence on the team since taking over from Domenico Tedesco in January. Under Garcia's leadership, Belgium secured a spot in the World Cup with a dominant 7-0 victory against Liechtenstein. This win marked Garcia's sixth triumph in ten matches as head coach.

Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere shone at Stade Maurice Dufrasne, contributing significantly to the scoreline. Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele, and Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net. Garcia's appointment followed Belgium's exit in the Euro 2025 round of 16 under Tedesco, which was another disappointing performance at a major tournament.

Belgium achieved their best World Cup result in 2018 by finishing third in Russia. Meunier believes that Garcia and his team are steering the squad in a positive direction. "The new staff that has arrived is breathing something fresh, something new and, frankly, they are doing their job well and the group is behind them," Meunier stated.

The recent match against Kazakhstan ended in a 1-1 draw but extended Belgium's qualification journey to FIFA’s main event next summer. Despite criticism for their performance at Astana Arena, Meunier highlighted that other top teams like Italy, Denmark, and Sweden are also facing challenges during qualifying.

"Of course, we can always improve our game," Meunier remarked. "But when you come to the national team there's always something to work on." He emphasized the importance of striving for perfection with the talented players available.

Maintaining Momentum

Belgium managed an impressive 23 shots against Liechtenstein, with 13 on target and an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.08 compared to Liechtenstein’s mere 0.04 from two attempts. The quality of play is evident as Belgium remains undefeated at the top of their group.

"We are first in the group with no defeats," Meunier added. "The quality is there, the results are there." He noted that stadiums are filled with enthusiastic fans who feel a renewed energy with this new generation of players.

This revitalized spirit within the team is crucial as they continue to support each other and aim for success on the international stage.