Belgium's golden generation ends with Lammens error

Belgium's golden generation came to a heartbreaking end on [date] as a late error by goalkeeper Senne Lammens handed Spain a 2-1 victory in the World Cup quarter-finals. The defeat likely marks the final international appearance for Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, and Axel Witsel, the last remaining members of the squad that first dazzled at the 2014 World Cup.

With the score level at 1-1, Lammens, 24, spilled an 88th-minute shot from [player name], allowing Mikel Merino to tap in the rebound. Courtois, who had been substituted earlier due to injury, watched from the bench as his replacement's mistake ended Belgium's hopes. "Lammens doesn't cover himself in any glory. He didn't make a mistake for Man United last year but this is another pressure," said Stephen Warnock on BBC Radio 5 Live.

A golden generation's legacy

Belgium's golden generation emerged at the 2014 World Cup, where a team featuring Courtois, De Bruyne, Witsel, Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, and others reached the quarter-finals. They improved to a third-place finish in 2018, their best ever World Cup result, and reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 and Euro 2020. However, they crashed out in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, signaling the end of an era.

Critics argue that such a talented group should have won a major trophy, but Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague defended their achievements. "To be a golden generation you have to win some gold and then you can be called that," he said. "It's put the expectations very high in Belgium... They were third in the 2018 World Cup and that seems to have been forgotten. I'm not sure how much more you could ask for."

An emotional farewell

Manager Rudi Garcia expressed disappointment for his veteran players. "I'm disappointed for those that maybe might not come back with the national team," he said. "I took a team that I wanted to take as far as possible. My veteran players, who are maybe on their way out, that they could have one last hurrah. It is a shame because I think everyone deserves to go far in this World Cup."

Along with the four mainstays, several other players aged 31 or older—including Leandro Trossard, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne, Hans Vanaken, and Thomas Meunier—likely played their final World Cup minutes.

A new generation emerges

Despite the defeat, Belgium's future looks promising. Thirteen squad members are aged 25 or younger, and Courtois had earlier spoken of a new era. "I think this is a new era for us," he said before the round of 16. "It is true that there are some players from the golden era, but the World Cup in Qatar for us was not that good. Now we have another generation with younger people, new people, willing to do great things and writing in the history pages for Belgium."

The young players gained valuable experience in the tournament, and the team's performance against Spain showed they can compete at the highest level. As the golden generation bows out, Belgium's next generation will look to build on their legacy.