Why Didn’t Belgium’s Golden Generation Succeed? De Bruyne: Stupid Question, England, France, Germany, and Spain Are Also Golden Generations

After losing 0-1 to France in the Round of 16 of the European Championship, Kevin De Bruyne expressed his dissatisfaction with the media’s questioning about Belgium’s so-called “golden generation” not achieving success.

In the post-match press conference, when asked about his feelings on the “golden generation” of Belgian football failing to deliver, De Bruyne showed irritation and countered, “What is your definition of a ‘golden generation’? Why are we the only ones labeled like this? What about England, France, Spain, and Germany? Aren’t they golden generations too?”

He then stormed out, muttering under his breath, “What a stupid question.”

In the match, Belgium and France were evenly matched, pushing their opponents to the brink but unable to capitalize on their opportunities, ultimately losing due to an own goal by Vertonghen. Belgium’s “golden generation” has yet to reach the final of a major tournament, with their best result being third place at the 2018 World Cup.

Looking back, Belgium was eliminated in the quarterfinals in both the 2016 and 2020 Euros, and this year bowed out in the Round of 16.

Regarding his future with the national team, De Bruyne said, “Right now, I need time to recover physically and mentally. After the summer, I will make a final decision.”

“Tonight, I gave everything. You could see me playing as a defensive midfielder for long periods, just trying to help the team. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t convert those chances. Losing is never what we want, even if the expectations for Belgium aren’t as high as for other top teams.”

“We had a strategy for France and executed it well. We knew they would have more possession, and while our opportunities were scarce, they were valuable. Up until that unlucky goal, the game was under our control. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the solution in time.”