'What old timers can do' - the evolution of Belgium's golden generation

Belgium has reached the World Cup quarter-finals after a mediocre start, delivering a great comeback against Senegal and an impressive 4-1 victory over the USA. Despite being shorn of many star names from previous campaigns, the squad still features Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, and Axel Witsel. Goalkeeper Courtois stated this is a new era for Belgium, with younger players willing to do great things. The role of the senior players is changing, with a greater reliance on them making the difference in key moments rather than taking on the primary burden. Of the four survivors from 2014 and 2018, Courtois has played every minute, while De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Witsel have featured less regularly. Lukaku has scored three goals while playing fewer than 50% of minutes, often as a substitute, and De Bruyne's performances were among the team's best before an injury.