'Red what?'

In absence of stars, Belgium relies on team spirit

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Once again, Belgium's "Red Devils" have battled their way into the World Cup finals. And once again the world asks, "Belgium's Red What?"

Despite having qualified for soccer's biggest tournament for the sixth time in a row -- a record comparable to such greats as Germany and Italy -- Belgium's national soccer team suffers from a serious image problem.

The squad's recent form certainly hasn't helped.

A 3-2 loss to Greece and a lucky 1-1 home draw with Slovakia -- not exactly Europe's strongest teams -- saw Belgium's defense in chaos and its attack toothless. And the final warm-up match before leaving for Japan -- in Paris against defending world champions France -- doesn't leave much room for improvement.

But Belgium can take comfort from the fact that its best ever World Cup showing -- reaching the semifinals in 1986 -- was achieved by a team in similar disarray and with no true star.

An odd assembly of rookies and veterans recorded some poor results early on but, against all odds, fought its way to the semis, where it lost to eventual champion Argentina.

By contrast, things were looking good in the 1994 World Cup in the United States after the Belgians beat archrival Netherlands 1-0 in their first game. But the team tumbled out in the second round following two consecutive defeats, including an embarrassing loss to Saudi Arabia.

This has been a constant in Belgium's soccer history -- once a favorite, it performs badly.

Lacking a real star and dogged by injuries, Belgium will be far from a favorite in the 2002 finals.

Coach Robert Waseige will have to do without several of his first-choice players, including Glasgow Celtic defender and Red Devils lynchpin Joos Valgaeren, which is due to undergo muscle surgery.

"That was a bitter blow to us," said Waseige, who counted on Valgaeren to be the motor of defense.

Creativity is still hard to find in midfield.

Central midfielder Marc Wilmots of Schalke is known in Germany as "kampfschwein," or fighting boar, for his fighting spirit.

But, at 33, he has trouble living up to his reputation, not least because he has been slowed by injuries.

Yet he still stands out and is likely to be the team leader by the time the Red Devils open their Group H campaign against co-host Japan. Belgium also plays Russia and Tunisia in the first round.

Other Bundesliga-based players, including midfielder Bart Goor of Hertha Berlin and defender Nico Van Kerckhoven and forward Emile Mpenza of Schalke, are also expected to come to the spotlight in Japan.

More than ever, Belgium will rely on the traditionally strong team spirit that has been its main weapon so often in the past.

Qualifying for the World Cup was already an achievement for Waseige, but reaching the second round doesn't seem to be out of the question as Belgium has been drawn into what's arguably the easiest group in the tournament.

Since 1982, the Red Devils have made the second round each time, except for the last World Cup in France, where three draws were not enough to advance.

 

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