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What happened to Belgium and their golden generation?

Kevin de Bruyne gives a team talk in a huddle of Belgium playersGetty Images

Belgium have only won once in their past eight games - but have a new manager and a new generation of players

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales

World Cup qualifier: Belgium v Wales

Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels Date: Monday, 9 June Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Live on BBC One, S4C, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary.

They were once the world's number one side.

But the questions now keep coming for Belgium, a nation who have slowly said goodbye to a golden generation that dazzled but never truly delivered.

Dropping points to North Macedonia on Friday night was their latest difficult evening, a late goal in Skopje denying Rudi Garcia victory in his first World Cup qualifying game since taking charge with the aim of arresting a slide that has brought just one win in their past eight games.

Kevin de Bruyne was described by one Belgian newspaper to have flapped his arms in frustration several times before being substituted, possibly with Monday's crucial game with Wales in mind.

Only he, the injured Thibaut Courtois, and Romelu Lukaku remain of their incredible clutch of players that were ranked as the international game's best for the best part of a decade.

And yet there is also excitement around a new generation of talent that could yet keep Belgium an international threat.

So what exactly happened to Belgium? And as Craig Bellamy's resurgent Wales prepare to head to Brussels, where are they now?

A youth revolution

Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen, Dries Mertens and Vincent Kompany celebrate a goal for Belgium against WalesGetty Images

Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen, Dries Mertens and Vincent Kompany celebrate a milestone win over Wales in 2012. The side had an average age of 24 and would end a 12-year tournament exile

As Belgium exited Euro 2024 with a whimper, barely making a mark on the tournament, De Bruyne made his feelings clear on the "stupid" question he had received.

"And you say that and England and Spain and [didn't have] a golden generation">