Belgian journalists did not expect such a confident and easy victory for Belgium over Ukraine. After the defeat in the first match, Rud Garcia’s team, as well as the coach himself, were harshly criticized, and it was even written that the Belgians are no longer among the top national teams, so there is no point in expecting miracles from them. After the victory over Ukraine, the mood in the local media changed for the better. First of all, they note that on this day, the Belgian national team players truly were one team. A team that believed in the ultimate success from the first minutes and methodically pursued its goal - to score a goal and make the Ukrainians nervous. The game plan worked, and substitutions helped Belgium achieve the necessary result.
Voetbal Primeur
“A great reconciliation: ‘the Red Devils’ defeat Ukraine and remain in the elite of the Nations League,” - the journalist from Voetbal Primeur emphasizes that the victory over Ukraine should finally improve the atmosphere within the team and make the players understand that only by uniting can they win.
“The Red Devils” did it! After losing 1:3 in Murcia, one could say that they had a knife at their throat, but in Genk they crushed Ukraine and achieved the necessary victory with a score of 3:0. As a result, Rud Garcia secured his first victory as the national team's coach, breaking a six-game streak without three points, and our country remained in League A of the Nations League.
Rud Garcia made several substitutions. Some were forced, as in the case of Courtois, while some players simply did not show their best side in Murcia. What immediately stood out: this team was filled with enthusiasm. Under the guidance of veterans Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, “the Red Devils” started applying strong pressure from the first minute. Ukraine had to retreat and struggled for a long time to cross the midfield.
The Belgians regularly and smoothly conducted attack after attack. The only drawback? A limited number of moments were converted. The Belgians forced Lunin and the defenders to work, but this did not help them go into the break as winners.
After the break, the flame had to be stoked even more. But again, it was not possible to convert moments. It seemed like a terrible draw was looming, but a double substitution in the 70th minute breathed new life into the game. Saelemaekers and De Keiper, who came on as substitutes, helped score the first goal. That was enough, as Ukraine was falling apart at the seams. After a well-established combination with Saelemaekers in the lead role, De Bruyne made a high cross. Lukaku sent the ball into the net with a powerful shot. The long-awaited 2:0! There was euphoria and a slight shock, as 60 seconds later, Selso had to stretch from afar to fend off Artem Dyvbik’s header. Ultimately, Ukraine also poked their nose out of the window.
However, the pace of the Belgians seemed to not slow down. The third goal came again from the central area. Vanaken provided the assist to Lukaku (who else?) and made it 3:0. “Cegeka Arena” exploded, and the juicy cherry on the cake was the “devilish” debut of local hero Bryan Heynen. The stunned Ukraine found no answers. “The Red Devils” finally ensured their highest division in the Nations League for the 2026/2027 season.”
Voetbal Krant
“The Red Devils shine in Genk,” - the journalist from Voetbal Krant noted the good play of the veterans of the Belgian national team, who took responsibility and helped the team in a difficult moment. This proves that currently, there is no adequate replacement for the veterans in the national team.
“The Red Devils” did it on Sunday! After two brilliant goals from Lukaku and one from Maxim De Keiper, they remain in League A of the Nations League. This task seemed practically unrealistic after the defeat in Murcia. A defeat filled with many negative moments, and the waning eyes of veterans whom the fans had already begun to write off to retirement. As today’s match showed, without veterans, Belgium finds it very hard to contend for any serious achievements. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Hans Vanaken… Without them, there would be no victory. Without them, there would be no hope for a bright future in the qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup. Belgium has young and talented players who know how to play good football. But without leaders, without veterans, this team will not have the same will to win. Today, De Bruyne and Lukaku had fire in their eyes, they truly were the best and set an example for the young players. And this is exactly what helped them win.”
Sporza
“The revival of the ‘Red Devils,’ - the journalist from Sporza harshly criticized the Belgian national team a few days ago and demanded that everyone stop calling it a top team that contends for something serious. After the crushing victory over Ukraine, he has changed his mind and believes that the criticism correctly impacted the team.
The “Red Devils” are back. The final phase of the match resembled the former glorious days: the Belgians relentlessly continued to push forward into “Ukrainian territory” after the 70th minute. De Keiper, who came on as a substitute, “lit the fuse,” and Romelu Lukaku once again helped secure victory with a brace. No exits, but is it worth praising the Belgians after such a victory, or should we forget about what happened in Murcia? What will Rud Garcia and company do in the qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup? Many questions remain, but today we just want to rejoice for Belgium.
The team’s veterans and young talents made Ukraine “suffer” for all 90 minutes. Sergey Rebrov’s team looked helpless. It looked nothing like the team that played in Murcia. Throughout the match, the Ukrainians attacked 3-4 times. And created one truly dangerous moment. The guests emphasized a strong defense, even without counterattacks. And they failed. They were wrong. In the first half, they held out, but it was clear that the defense could no longer withstand such pressure. In the second half, the correct substitutions by Rud Garcia helped Belgium get back into the fight. Goals poured in one after another, and the Ukrainians didn’t just make defensive mistakes, they also couldn’t launch a good attack. Interestingly, Belgium believed in itself so much that it ran to score the third goal to avoid extra time. And they managed to score three goals! Belgium did not get relegated to League B of the Nations League and will play among the strongest again. This can be called a true resurrection.”
