Belgium have announced their arrival as serious contenders in the UEFA Nations League with a commanding 2-0 away triumph against Italy at the Olimpico on Friday, signaling the beginning of a promising era under manager Mark Van Bommel. The victory represents the Red Devils' first official win in Italy and showcased the attacking prowess and creative dynamism that could propel them through the competition. In a performance that bridged brilliance and tactical cohesion, Belgium dismantled an Italian side still reeling from another World Cup elimination, with devastating counter-attacks and fluid attacking patterns that left their hosts searching for answers.
The standout narrative of the evening centered on Kevin De Bruyne's masterclass in central attacking midfield. The 33-year-old midfielder, operating at the Olimpico, delivered what amounted to his finest performance in two years, controlling the tempo with surgical precision and dictating play with the authority that defines world-class playmaking. De Bruyne's statistics told the story of his dominance: 30 completed passes out of 31 attempted, translating to an extraordinary 96.8% accuracy rate, while his Flashscore rating of 8.7 led all players on the pitch. His physical contributions proved equally impressive, holding his ground in confrontations against the significantly younger Sandro Tonali, whose strength in ground duels represents one of his defining characteristics. The pivotal moment arrived in the 20th minute when De Bruyne intercepted a loose ball in Italy's midfield and executed a perfectly weighted pass that released Mika Godts for the opening goal, showcasing the vision that continues to cement his status among the world's elite playmakers.
Godts emerged as the evening's second brilliant Belgian performer, justifying Paris Saint-Germain's substantial investment from Ajax through a dazzling solo run that broke down Italy's defense with embarrassing ease. The Tienen-born winger sent both Gianluca Mancini and Diego Coppola the wrong way before beating goalkeeper Donnarumma, encapsulating Belgium's multifaceted attacking threats. Alongside Jeremy Doku and fellow Milan winger Diego Moreira—who has already demonstrated his ball-carrying prowess during appearances at the Olimpico with AC Milan—Belgium possess wingers capable of generating numerical superiority on both flanks. Even the prospect of Dodi Lukebakio entering consideration for selection against France underscores the depth of Belgium's attacking options.
As Belgium prepare to face France in their next Nations League fixture, Van Bommel appears to have rekindled the creative spark in De Bruyne that seemed constrained during previous regimes under Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri with the Italian national team. With De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois anchoring their foundation, and young talents like Mika Godts potentially representing a new generation to match Eden Hazard's brilliance, the Red Devils—eliminated in the World Cup quarter-finals—are positioning themselves as Europe's emerging wildcard. The question now centers on whether this resurgent Belgium squad can finally achieve the redemption that has eluded them since their semi-final exit at the 2018 World Cup.