Women’s EURO, team guide, Belgium | Women’s EURO
Group D, matches:
Sunday July 10
Belgium – Iceland (6 p.m. Paris time, Manchester)
Thursday July 14
France – Belgium (9 p.m. Paris time, Rotherham)
Monday July 18
Italy – Belgium (9 p.m. Paris time, Manchester)
How this country qualified : Group H, winner (8 games, 7 wins, 1 loss, 37 goals scored, 5 conceded)
Best EURO result : groups
EURO 2017 : Groups
Play key. – Janice Cayman
A Lyon player since 2019, the 33-year-old striker was recently named Belgium’s player of the year, four years after her first trophy. With the Red Flames, Cayman is the second highest scorer and most capped player in their history. She has scored six goals in six FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualifying games, having found the net five times in eight games in EURO qualifying to help Belgium win their group .
The player to follow. – Amber Tysiak
Tall, athletic and blessed with a keen understanding of the game, the 21-year-old Leuven defender loves nothing better than taking advantage of the freedom given to her to project herself forward and embody the future of the Belgium team.
Coach: Ives Serneels
As a defensive midfielder, Serneels won the Belgian championship in 1997 and the Belgian Cup in 1999 with Lierse. He worked there as coach of the youth teams from 2008 to 2010, then took on the dreams of the women’s team the following year, leading them to the final of the Belgian Women’s Cup. Appointed national team coach in 2011, Serneels led the Red Flames to their first major international tournament finishing second in Women’s EURO 2017 qualifying after two third places at the 2013 edition and for the Women’s World Cup 2015.
Tactical
After celebrating ten years at the helm of the team in 2021, Serneels left a deep imprint on this team which canceled by sticking to a phrase he likes to say, “every country has its own culture. We do our best with the characteristics of Belgium. Serneels have incorporated a balanced 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, depending on the opponents, in an effort to get the most out of their core players and test many new faces in friendlies. The top scorer in qualifying, Tine De Caigny, is very often sought after. She has scored twice as many goals as Tessa Wullaert, while Cayman, who can play in many attacking positions, is often the provider. Behind, the central pair of Julie Biesmans and Laura De Neve appear immovable, while full-backs Davina Philtjens (right) and Laura Deloose (left) have also featured in all qualifying matches. On the other hand, rotation is more important in midfield and stability will probably be Serneels’ biggest task if his side are to compete with the best teams in the tournament.
Historical
After three consecutive third-place finishes in qualifying in 2011, 2013 and 2015, Belgium secured their first major finals two years later when they secured a spot at EURO 2017 in neighboring Netherlands. After an opening defeat to eventual runners-up Denmark, Belgium grabbed the headlines by beating Norway before a loss to the hosts and eventual winners relegated them to third place in Group A.
Eliminated by Switzerland in the 2019 World Cup play-off round, Belgium won their qualifying group ahead of the Swiss to advance to their second consecutive EURO finals, in which they will face European heavyweights like France, Italy and Iceland.