The European qualifying draw for next summer’s FIFA World Cup was recently drawn in Nyon, Switzerland, and it threw up plenty of mouthwatering ties on the road to North America. The upcoming global spectacle will be a blockbuster for many reasons, but one of them is the fact that the tournament has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams, resulting in almost twice as many matches being played throughout the competition. That provides more opportunities for European outfits to punch their tickets to North America, and many teams are looking to take full advantage of that.
One such team is Wales. They reached the 2022 installment of the tournament in Qatar, marking their first foray onto the global stage in over half a century. If they are to repeat their heroics and reach a second straight tournament for the first time in history, then they will have to go through heavyweights Belgium, a team with which they have a storied recent history. The two sides have been drawn together inside Group J, alongside an improving Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, and lowly Liechtenstein.
Where Do Both Teams Stand in 2025?
With the World Cup still a year away, both sides are currently in the midst of a rebuilding phase. Belgium’s superstars of yesteryear are all on the wrong side of 30, with the upcoming tournament potentially the last for the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, while former captain and talisman Eden Hazard is already retired. The former rock-solid backline of Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, and Toby Alderweireld have also retired, although the latter two are still playing at club level.
In their place, the likes of Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku and RB Leipzig striker Lois Openda are expected to leave the charge. However, there is a huge gulf in quality from the team that reached the semifinals back in 2018, and the sports gambling providers have certainly noticed. The latest odds from Bovada’s online sports gambling platform currently make the Red Devils a +3500 underdog to win the tournament next summer, level with the co-hosting USA and a longer shot than two-time champions Uruguay.
Wales find themselves in a similar position. Former leader Gareth Bale is now happily on the golf course in retirement, while former midfield dynamo Aaron Ramsey is well past his best. Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson is the new main man, flanked by Fulham midfielder Harry Wilson. But with tournament odds of +35000, the bookies clearly feel that the Red Dragons should be content with simply reaching the tournament, rather than winning it.
In the qualifiers, these two unlikely rivals will meet once more. But how did their recent rivalry come to fruition? Let’s take a look.
Wales Stun Belgium at Euro 2016
It all began at Euro 2016. After Wales topped their group ahead of England and then beat Northern Ireland in the Round of 16, they were given the unenviable task of meeting Belgium in the quarterfinals. The Red Devils were considered one of the favourites for glory, with the likes of Hazard, De Bruyne, and Lukaku all beginning to come of age. The Belgians weren’t just expected to win; they were expected to dominate.
But the Welsh had some superstars of their own. Bale was still at the peak of his powers at Real Madrid, and he headed to France fresh off winning his second Champions League title in three seasons. Alongside him, Arsenal man Ramsey had emerged as one of the finest central midfielders on the planet, becoming a crucial cog for Arsene Wenger’s Gunners.
The stage was set, and the two sides faced off in Lille with a spot in the semifinal on the line. All seemed to be going according to plan for the favourites when Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan thumped home from 30 yards to give Belgium the lead. Shockingly, however, Wales came roaring back. Captain Ashley Williams nodded home from a Ramsey corner to level things up at halftime, leaving it all to play for in the second half.
After the break, the Belgians pressed, but they couldn’t find a way through Chris Coleman’s staunch backline. Then, against the run of play, Hal Robsun-Kanu scored one of the goals of the tournament, turning inside the penalty to beat two defenders before slotting past Thibaut Courtois. Again, Belgium pressed, but an equaliser never came, and that allowed striker Sam Vokes to seal the victory, capping off a swift counterattack with a billet header to secure an unforgettable 3-1 victory.
Belgium’s Recent Revenge
The Belgians had to stew on that painful defeat for five long years, but they finally got their shot at redemption in 2021. The two sides clashed in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and this time around, they would have their revenge.
Despite an early goal from Harry Wilson, Belgium managed to pick up a 3-1 victory, with both De Bruyne and Lukaku on song, as well as Thorgan Hazard – younger brother of superstar Eden. The reverse fixture in Cardiff resulted in a draw, a scoreline which sent Belgium directly to the Arabian Gulf as group winners, finishing five points clear of their rivals.
A year later, the two sides were drawn together once again, this time in the UEFA Nations League. Once again, the game in Cardiff finished as a draw, thanks to Brennan Johnson’s late equaliser. Belgium, however, managed to score the home victory once more, winning 2-1 and relegating their rivals to League B.
What will transpire this time around? We will have to wait and see.
Sports Team