Belgium

By Ben James

Team: Belgium

Nickname: Les Diables Rouges (The Red Devils)

World Cup appearances: 13 (Best finish of 4^th place in 1986)

World ranking: 3

Coach: Roberto Martinez

Captain: Eden Hazard

Player to watch: Kevin De Bruyne
On the back of a stunning season with Manchester City’s record-breaking team, De Bruyne has announced himself as one of the world’s premier midfielders – if not players – and elevated himself above Eden Hazard as Belgium’s go-to player. Expect to see precise passing, defence-splitting through balls and pinpoint long range shooting.

NowUC Predictor: Quarter-finals
Belgium’s strong squad saw them breeze through qualifying with a single draw the only dropped points. This form should carry through to the group stage and they would be expected to top Group G above England, Tunisia and Panama. If they do, it would mean a likely quarter-final match-up with Brazil, which could prove difficult to win.