Belgium’s so-called “golden generation” will embark on yet another quest for World Cup glory in Qatar next month, having arguably underachieved in Brazil 2014 and lost to eventual winners France in the semi-final of 2018.
There’s a palpable sense that this will represent the current Belgium squad’s last realistic tilt at WC glory for the foreseeable future, despite the form and fitness doubts that surround star player like Eden Hazard and top scorer Romelu Lukaku.
But what do the bookies think, and what are the best Belgium betting markets ahead of the FIFA World Cup? Here’s our take!
#1. Belgium to Win Group F
The Group stages of any World Cup also feature a diverse array of sides, and Qatar will be no exception to this rule.
To this end, Belgium have been drawn into Group F of the tournament, alongside an inexperienced Canada side, African qualifiers Morocco and 2018 finalists Croatia.
While the experienced and technically gifted Croats will pose a stern threat to the Red Devils, Belgium can be backed at an average price of 1.62 to top Group F and qualify for the round of 16 as group winners.
Given that the side is odds-on favourite at around 1.13 to qualify from Group F, backing them to top the group arguably offers a little more value and more sizable returns on average.
#2. Belgium to Reach the Quarterfinals
If you regularly frequent sportsbooks like bettinglines.io, you’ll see that Belgium are around 2.00 to qualify for the quarterfinals in Qatar.
This reflects the structure of the draw, which means that Belgium will most likely have to beat either Spain or Germany in the round of 16 regardless of whether they qualify for the knockout stages as Group F winners or runners-up.
Both potential opponents are among the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup, and there’s no doubt that Belgium will have to do things the hard way if they’re going to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for the first time.
However, it should be noted that Belgium will arrive in Qatar as the top-ranked European team according to FIFA, while the experienced nature of the squad means that they may offer increased value to reach at least the quarters at a price of 2.00.
#3. Belgium to Win the World Cup
Despite their lofty ranking, Belgium’s odds of actually winning the World Cup have drifted of late, from a starting price of around 15.00 to 18.00 (17/1) at the time of writing.
This reflects aforementioned factors such as the inconsistent club form of Hazard and Lukaku, alongside Belgium’s recent lack of form (the side were recently thrashed 4-1 at home by the Netherlands during their Nations League campaign).
However, the Red Devils did finish third in the 2018 tournament, while they also reached the latter stages of last years’ Nation League after a typically consistent campaign.
Also, midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne remains in outstanding form, and there’s no doubt that Belgium offer significant value as an outside bet to win the tournament in Qatar.
