It may only be a computer-generated list, but it has a significance. A place in its higher echelons is prestigious. It is all the more relevant when it amounts to recognition of a remarkable rise.
Because eight years ago, Belgium bottomed out. In June 2007, they were officially the 71st best team in international football. And when the latest rankings were released, they reached a new high. They were deemed second only to Germany. An eight-year journey has taken them up 69 places. The standings suggest theirs really is a golden generation.
If they trail just the World Cup winners in one respect, they are level with Wales in another. The table for Group B shows top and fourth seeds tied on 11 points, just as there was nothing to separate them in a 0-0 draw in November.
They reconvene in Cardiff tonight with each on course to end a long wait.
While they were co-hosts in 2000, Belgium have not qualified for a European Championship since 1984. Wales have not played in any major tournament since the 1958 World Cup. There have been near misses and distant failures. This, aided by Bosnia-Herzegovina’s surprisingly poor start to the group, is their best chance. Belgium represent the biggest obstacle.
Defeat on Friday night, coupled with an Israel win in Zenica, would demote Wales from the top two.
Wales may have home advantage although, as Belgium beat France 4-3 in Paris last weekend, Marc Wilmots’s team have proved their prowess on their travels. The reductive approach is to assume the game will be decided by the resident superstars and it is inevitable that this will be billed as Gareth Bale against Eden Hazard.
“There are very few players like that on the planet. We have got one,” said Wales manager Chris Coleman, who stated the Chelsea winger had a “magic wand” but drew an interesting contrast between the perceptions of their respective seasons.
“Look at the statistics,” he said. “They were very similar, although Bale has had heavy criticism in Spain and Hazard has been [named] the best player here, and rightly so.”
Yet while Hazard scored a penalty in the Stade de France on Sunday, the destroyer of France was Marouane Fellaini. Kevin de Bruyne’s 16-goal, 27-assist campaign for Wolfsburg is another indication of the calibre of their midfield, but Belgium’s talent is distributed across the team.
“You don’t get to No 2 in the world for nothing,” Aaron Ramsey said. “They have great quality in their team. They can hurt you from all over the pitch.”
While the Arsenal midfielder is Wales’ second finest player, they are disproportionately dependent on one man: Bale, who is set to win his 50th cap.
Their 3-0 win in Israel, their greatest statement of intent, featured two goals from Bale. He created the other while the hosts’ Eytan Tibi was sent off for fouling the Real Madrid winger.
Belgium have a defensive suspension, too, with captain Vincent Kompany banned while injury has limited Thomas Vermaelen to a solitary appearance this season. It is an indication of their resources that Toby Alderweireld, Nicolas Lombaerts and Jan Vertonghen can deputise.
“If they lose one or two, it’s not a problem as they have a conveyor belt,” Coleman said.
A groin injury has ruled Fellaini out but Belgium have deluxe alternatives.
Coleman could be forgiven for feeling envious. Wales’ second-choice goalkeeper, Owain Fon Williams, was relegated from the Football League with Tranmere. Their three out-and-out forwards scored a grand total of four club goals this season. David Cotterill and Hal Robson-Kanu scored against Cyprus, but against better opponents, they have relied on Ramsey and Bale.
In previous years, players such as Ryan Giggs, Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy shouldered a heavy burden. They almost took Wales to Euro 2004. This, Ramsey believes, is their biggest game since a 2-1 win over Italy in that qualifying campaign.
The difference is that now a draw, coupled with fine results in their last four games, could suffice.
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