Belgium national football team

Mens national football team.

The Belgium national football team, known as the Red Devils (Dutch: Rode Duivels; French: Diables Rouges; German: Rote Teufel), represents Belgium in international football competitions. It is governed by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), the governing body for football in Belgium. The team is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors, red and black, are derived from the Belgian flag. They are colloquially referred to as the Belgians or the Red Devils.

Since their first official match in 1904, the Red Devils have been a consistent presence in international football. At the World Cup, Belgium has achieved their best result by finishing third in 2018, improving on their fourth-place finish in 1986. They have qualified for 14 FIFA World Cup tournaments, including seven consecutive appearances from 1982 to 2002. In the European Championship, their best performance was reaching the final in 1980, where they finished as runners-up.

The team experienced a golden generation in the 2010s and early 2020s, with players like Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku leading the charge. This period saw Belgium reach the top of the FIFA World Rankings in 2015, a position they held for over three years cumulatively. Their success during this era included the third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup and quarter-final appearances in Euro 2016 and Euro 2020.

Belgium's style of play is known for its attacking flair and technical skill, often praised for its attractive football. The team has produced numerous world-class players throughout its history, including Jean-Marie Pfaff, Enzo Scifo, and more recently, Thibaut Courtois and Dries Mertens. The Red Devils have a fierce rivalry with the Netherlands, known as the Low Countries derby, which is one of the oldest international football rivalries in the world.