The 0-0 conceded at home against North Macedonia does not pass. As Belgium plays its qualification for the 2026 World Cup, this misstep has triggered a wave of criticism. And one of them, particularly virulent, came from a veteran of the house, a defender who has never had his tongue in his pocket: Philippe Albert. In his column for The eveninghe literally dismantled the choices of the French coach.
Rudi Garcia facing the Belgian press court
For Albert, the main problem is clear: the absence of a real center forward. “We needed the presence of a real 9 in point, not a fake! “, he insisted, describing the tenure of Leandro Trossard in this role as “big failure”. He goes even further, speaking of a
“first class funeral”. The former international does not understand how, faced with a grouped defense, Garcia was able to deprive himself of his only specialist in the position, Michy Batshuayi. “What is the point of selecting Batshuayi if it is not to bring him into a closed match? “, he asks, furious.
This incomprehension is shared by the entire Belgian press. Frédéric Bleus, in The Last Hourasks the same question: “Why call Batshuayi to leave him on the bench in such a closed match? ». The general feeling is that Rudi Garcia persisted in a system that did not work, sacrificing efficiency for playing principles that were unsuitable for the situation.
The ghost of Roberto MartĂnez
Philippe Albert pushes the analysis to the point of recalling that the former coach, Roberto MartĂnez, had already tried this “false 9” experiment and had quickly given up.
“Rudi Garcia will certainly come to the same conclusion after what he saw like me”he predicts, not without a touch of irony. This is a way of saying that the French coach, far from bringing new life, is only repeating the mistakes of the past.
This harsh criticism places Rudi Garcia in an extremely uncomfortable position. He arrived with the difficult task of rebuilding a team at the end of the cycle, but his credit already seems to be crumbling. The press and the old glories no longer forgive him anything and question his ability to lead this new generation.
Evening of truth in Cardiff
This evening's match in Cardiff, against Wales, looks like a double-take. A new poor performance would plunge the Red Devils into a critical situation and could well seal the fate of their coach. Belgium, accustomed to major competitions, trembles at the idea of ​​missing its first World Cup since 2010. And if this disaster scenario were to occur, everyone already knows where all eyes will turn.
