Belgium Football: Beyond the Result, the Red Devils' Spirit is Back (Like It Never Left)

Let's be honest. For the last few years, and I mean specifically that miserable World Cup in Qatar, it was a bit… well, it took some getting used to. The magic seemed to have vanished. You'd see the jerseys, those beautiful Belgium football / national team shirts with the proud flag, but the feeling underneath was sometimes a bit flat. We were always playing catch-up. That Qatar 2022 World Cup hangover, it really got into the Red Devils camp, you could see it. Not just on the pitch, but in the stands too. The flags were still there, but the fire? It had kind of dwindled to an ember.

But then you get a night like that one in Atlanta. And suddenly, it's like you put on those old, familiar Belgium Football Supporter Party Glasses again, and you see the bigger picture. 4-1 against the United States. Yeah, it's a friendly. Yeah, you could say it was “only” the US. But let me tell you: the way we approached that game, it wasn't just any match. It was a statement. I was sitting on the couch, with my trusty Belgium Football Car Bonnet Cover in the shed, and I could feel the excitement coming through the screen.

The opening stages were scrappy, everyone saw that. But what happened next was exactly what we hadn't seen for two years. Fighting back. Not those forced, panicky counters, but a cool-headed, almost arrogant, breakaway. The equaliser before half-time, that was crucial. It was like someone flicked a switch.

And then in the second half, that explosion. Lukebakio coming off the bench to add another, it was the final piece of a night where we finally saw again what Belgian football is all about: enjoyment, pace, and that bit of swagger that made us great in the first place. We took some time to analyse that State of football, and I can tell you: the balance sheet is positive again.

• The spirit: That fear is gone. You saw young lads coming on with the mindset: I'm here to win this.
• The supporters: The atmosphere in the stadium was different too. That typical Belgian down-to-earth nature, but now with a smile.
• The image: You can see it in everything. Those Belgium football / national team shirts with football and Belgian flag you see on the street, they're being worn with pride again, not out of a sense of duty, but out of genuine belief.

I still have an old Red Devils Qatar 2022 World Cup Hangover T-Shirt Men Unisex in the wardrobe myself. For a long time, it was like a relic of a missed opportunity. But now? Now it's just a reminder of a lesson learned. We've had that hangover, the headache is gone. The team we saw yesterday wasn't one still recovering. It was a team that wanted to push forward.

So when I look to the future, I think: let's get those Belgium Football Supporter Party Glasses out of the cupboard again. Throw that Belgium Football Car Bonnet Cover back over the car. The State of football in Belgium? It's not just solid, it's buzzing. We can be proud again, not just of the result, but of the way we played. And that, dear friends, feels a hell of a lot better than any win in a friendly match. This is the foundation. And we'll build from here.