Goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois – One of the best goalkeepers in the world, Courtois has an exceptional winning record, having won league titles for four clubs in three different countries, and with two Champions League titles to his name. At 6’7” he’s a commanding presence in the box, plucking balls out of the air with aplomb, but he’s also surprisingly agile with great reflexes and is a master of one-on-ones with attackers. If he has a weakness, it’s not obvious.
Left-back, Jan Vertonghen – Primarily a centre-back, left-footed Vertonghen often filled in at left-back for his country. In his eight seasons at Tottenham, he was a model of consistency and durability, rarely injured and never out of form. A great reader of the game with superb positional sense, he enjoyed pushing forward to cut out space and break up opposition play. A skilled ball-player who would often start his own side’s forward moves, he is Belgium’s most capped player ever with a phenomenal 157 appearances.
Right-back, Toby Alderweireld – Like his long-time defensive partner, Vertonghen (they played 366 times together for Ajax, Spurs and Belgium), Alderweireld was mainly a centre-back, but he could fill in on the right-hand side. He was a more traditional defender than Vertonghen, a little less mobile but a high-class tackler who was happy to stick to his striker like glue. If he lacked a little pace, he made up for it in his defend-at-all-costs determination. 127 caps for Belgium.
Centre-back, Vincent Kompany – The ultimate leader, Kompany was for a decade the backbone of the best team in the Premier League, Manchester City. With great organisational and communication skills allied to exceptional reading of the game, he led a defence that conceded fewer goals than any other side. Strong in the tackle and in the air, Kompany often popped up in the opposition box to score with his head and occasionally with his feet. Captain of this XI.
Centre-back, Thomas Vermaelen – Quick, nimble, strong on the ground and in the air, and skilful with the ball at his feet, Vermaelen seemed to have it all. In his first season for Arsenal in 2009/10 he defended aggressively and contributing handsomely at the other end of the pitch with seven league goals. Unfortunately, his weakness was his durability and he spent much of his time at the club and thereafter on the treatment table. Comfortable at left-back, he could switch with Vertonghen if necessary, or to the left-side if the team moved to a back three.
Defensive midfield, Moussa Dembele – Supremely strong and with a high work rate, Dembele was loved by fans and teammates alike for his all-round contribution to Spurs best side of the 2010s. He possessed the close control and nimble footwork of a futsal player, and combined this with the upper-body strength and balance of a judoka. He was seemingly impossible to dispossess once he got on the ball. Sitting in front of the back four, Dembele was the master of turning defence into attack, sucking up and neutralising opposition pressure before releasing his more creative midfielders into space. Sadly, his hyper-physical style took its toll on his body and injuries plagued him, but he remains a cult hero at Spurs, and an essential member of this XI.
Centre midfield, Youri Tielemans – Tielemans wins a place in this XI sitting in front of the defensive solidity of Dembele and a step or two behind the attacking flair of De Bruyne. Tielemans is a tempo-setter, constantly finding space and demanding the ball, mainly passing short, but also delivering the long, incisive through ball when required. As such, he’s particularly strong on the transition, sparking attacks from deep. He also has a knack of scoring critical goals – for Leicester to win their only FA Cup final, for Villa in the Europa league final, and, most recently, two for Belgium to get past Senegal in the World Cup.
Attacking midfield, Kevin De Bruyne – The ‘jewel in the crown’ in this XI, De Bruyne lit up the Premier League for a decade and helped his Man City team become the best team in England. De Bruyne’s super-skill was his spatial awareness and 360⁰ vision – the ‘eyes in the back of his head’ – which allowed him to find passes that others would not even have thought of. He was a master of the incisive through ball, but his armoury including pinpoint crossing and long range shots from both feet. In 288 PL appearances he managed 191 goal involvements (119 assists and 72 goals) but his contribution went a long way further than mere statistics.
Left wing, Jeremy Doku – It’s a close call between Doku and Leandro Trossard for the left wing slot, but Doku wins a place for his sheer mischief and entertainment value. Whilst his end product can sometimes be a let-down, Doku is always trying to do something and, unlike many modern players, it’s usually at pace. He creates relentless stress for defenders, and because it often requires more than one to cover him, this creates space for others. He’s maturing into a goalscorer as well as a creator, so now you have even more to worry about as a defender.
Right wing, Eden Hazard – At his peak with Chelsea, Hazard was simply unplayable. Blessed with explosive acceleration and a low centre of gravity, he was a master of one-on-ones (indeed one-on-twos or threes as well) taking the ball past defenders as if they were not there. He found space where there was none, and fashioned chance after chance both for himself and for others. His assist rate at Chelsea was good – 92 in 352 games – but his scoring was even better. Including penalties he amassed 110 goals, 85 in the Premier League.
Centre forward, Romelu Lukaku – Whilst his later moves may not have hit the heights of his spells at West Brom and, particularly, Everton, Romelo Lukaku is still one of the most prolific marksmen in PL history. At his peak, Lukaku combined immense physical power with great pace and the instinctive eye for the finish that separates out the truly great striker from the rest. Even now, not fully fit and carrying considerable extra timber, he continues to intimidate defenders and turn up in the right place at the right time for his country, Belgium. In fact, he sits behind only Cristiano Ronaldo in the list of top all-time European international goalscorers.
Unlucky not to make the team
It’s difficult to make a full second XI of PL Belgians, so below are some of the players who missed out on selection for the first XI.
Goalkeeper – Simon Mignolet
Defenders – Philippe Albert, Timothy Castagne
Midfield – Amadou Onana, Marouane Fellaini, Leandro Trossard
Attack – Christian Benteke, Divock Origi
And some of the worst Belgians to play in the Premier League
- Adnan Januzaj – Not really awful, but a young player who failed to live up to astronomical early expectations. Scoring two in his first start for Man United was sadly the high point for the teenager, who was allocated the #11 shirt worn by Ryan Giggs. Sadly for Januzaj he was no Giggs, probably not even Ryan’s brother, Rhodri.
- Michy Batshuayi – Another who was not awful, just not suited to the pace and physicality of the English game. In his six years at Chelsea the £33m striker spent most of his time out on loan.
- Laurent Depoitre – Signed for a record fee by Premier League newcomers Huddersfield Town, Depoitre arrived as a seemingly reliable goalscorer having scored every two or three games. He did bag a couple of important goals in his first season for the Terriers, but couldn’t manage a single, solitary goal in his second. A transfer back to Belgium followed soon after.