Euro 2025: Belgium team guide – a threatening set piece but exposed defensively

New York Times

6 days ago

The Belgian women's national team, nicknamed the Red Flames, are currently ranked 19th in the world despite never having qualified for a World Cup. Taking a look at their slow but steady ascent at European Championships — qualifying for their first continental tournament in 2017 and again in 2022 — combined with a few of their recent standout performances against competitive sides, offers a glimpse at their potential.
They are likely to battle with Italy and Portugal for second place in Group B after Spain, which will be tantalizing considering the drive and inconsistency that binds those three teams.
In January, the Belgian FA parted ways with Ives Serneels, who had served as head coach of the program for 14 years. In his place, they hired 48-year-old Icelandic coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir to manage the team. She has enjoyed success at club level (she led Valur in Iceland to four national titles and a cup victory) and has experience on the international stage, too, serving as the assistant coach of the Iceland women's national team and head coach of its under-21 side.
'Our goal is to climb the FIFA rankings and establish ourselves on the world stage,' Royal Belgian FA CEO Peter Willems said of her hire. 'Gunnarsdottir's impressive track record and international experience makes her the ideal person to take the Red Flames to the next level.'
Against stronger opponents, Belgium plays in a more conservative low block, crowding their own penalty box to poke balls free from prowling attackers or squeeze out deflections. They seek joy in their width offensively, looking to their wingers to drive the ball down the touchline and whip in crosses.
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They've been a growing threat on set pieces; in 2023 they beat England 3-2, opening up their scoring tally with a direct free kick from Laura De Neve (who did not make this roster), and in April this year recorded the same scoreline against the same opponent that featured a lethal header finish off a free kick from forward Tessa Wullaert.
Belgium's highest-scoring player in the history of the women's team, Wullaert, will enter the Euros with Belgium as their most valuable player. Her eye for goal, combined with her experience playing at high levels — the 32-year-old also has the second-highest number of caps in team history — doubles Wullaert's value on the pitch. She appears in form right now too, having recently scored against England and Portugal in the UEFA Nations League.
Ideally, her attacking threat is elevated by the sharp vision of Tine De Caigny, who at 28, has earned 106 caps for Belgium and scored 42 goals. In addition to the potential for goals, De Caigny also brings a wealth of experience to Belgium's midfield with her aggression inside penalty boxes.
Belgium's backline will likely be anchored by 20-year-old Amber Tysiak, who slides between center back and right fullback for the Red Flames. Her pace will be advantageous from both positions as Belgium attempts to deal with Spain's speedy ball movement. Despite her young age, Tysiak also offers veteran-level experience in continental tournaments, having competed in the 2022 European Championship with Belgium as well.
Belgium's attack — and the tenacity that powers it — remains its greatest threat to opposing teams. Stronger sides aren't likely to sit back against the Red Flames, although their sneaky shock of a 3-2 victory over England in April means they won't be taken for granted either. They are particularly strong on set pieces; whether Wullaert is placing a free kick into dangerous areas inside the box, or Hannah Eurlings poaches and converts a deflection off a corner kick, Belgium are constantly ready to take advantage of any sense of underestimation and catch anyone off guard.
Belgium tend to be clumsy at the back, prone to swiping for balls late, sometimes in areas that result in them conceding a penalty or free kick in a dangerous area of the pitch.
Belgium has been fairly inconsistent in the last year, a quirk that was most noticeably on display in their two Nations League results against England and Spain, whom they played twice each.
Their results against the No 2-ranked Spain were a narrow 3-2 defeat, followed by a 5-1 thumping, while the final scores of the meetings with England were a narrow 3-2 victory and a 5-0 defeat. These Red Flames are at their best when they aren't contained and can play freely, licking the heels of their opponents with enough pressure to make them cough up a ball for them to pounce on and either initiate a counterattack or shoot.
Belgium reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 Euros, narrowly losing out to Sweden 1-0. By that logic and from a further-away vantage point, it's reasonable to expect them to reach at least that stage again this year. Up close, they are yet to provide evidence of their growth in the last three years commensurate with other countries, that is compelling enough to fully affirm that expectation; Italy and Portugal have been chomping at the bit to upset and send statements about their potential, too. Belgium's primary target for this tournament should be to prove they are moving in a promising direction as a team, and that their younger players can build upon this experience for future competitions.
In the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, Belgium beat Armenia 19-0. They scored their first goal in the third minute, and their last in the 93rd. Wullaert scored five goals, and two other players, De Caigny and Amber Tysiak, each scored hat tricks.