Appointed at the head of the Belgian selection,
Rudi Garcia nourishes great ambitions. But he also assures that this experience in the costume of a coach could be the last of his career. In an interview with the team, the former OM or OL coach was very transparent.
“I already feel 100 % Belgian!” I hope to end my career at the head of the Red Devils. We quickly get to know each other. There is a real convergence of ideas with Vincent Mannaert who recruited me. We want to establish a new dynamic, offer new things to players. I especially hope that the whole country will be behind its national team. We need 12 million supporters. We want to decentralize more matches like the next against Ukraine, in Genk. We want to run the devils beyond the King-Baudoin stadium to be closer to the supporters and the whole country. Belgium is the biggest club I have trained! ».
Objective World Cup for Rudi Garcia
Garcia assures that he “Wanted a real sports challenge. »» “” Belgium was first in the FIFA ranking in the fall of 2018 until the spring of 2022 (it is currently 8th). It is a selection that counts, which undoubtedly had one of the best generations in its history between 2016 and 2018 with that of the mid -1980s. 2026 can be the last opportunity for De Bruyne, Lukaku, (Thomas) Meunier, (Yannick) Carrasco, (Hans) Vanaken or Courtois to show that they are very big international talents. »»
And if the Belgian selection goes to the 2026 World Cup, it will not be a question of making figuration there after the last failures. “The objective? Already, to keep Belgium in Pool A of Nations League and to beat Ukraine. The second objective is to qualify for the World Cup before having ambitions for this competition. We are in an affordable group (Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein), but which is not easy. Our contracts, to Vincent (Mannaert) and me, do not go further than the World Cup. Afterwards, the culmination is not to go there, but to do something there. »» The tone is set.
