"The goalkeeper ruined everything... The end of the golden generation." A tragic ending: a 'generational squad' that will never be seen again, finishing with zero trophies.

*This content was translated by AI.

The end of the brilliant golden generation came down to the futile and fatal error of the successor goalkeeper. Belgium's national team, which had its best period, ultimately ended its journey without any trophy, leaving a bitter taste.

On the 11th (Korea time), Belgium was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup quarterfinals after losing 1-2 to Spain at the Los Angeles Stadium in the United States.

Eight years after finishing third in the 2018 Russia World Cup, Belgium once again challenged for the top prize but could not overcome the final hurdle and bowed its head.

This was effectively the last chapter of the golden generation. British media outlet 'BBC' suggested that "Senna Lameens' (Manchester United) error marked the end of Belgium's golden generation." It is no surprise, as this defeat took place on what was essentially the final World Cup stage for Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, and Axel Witsel—the core and symbols of the most glorious golden generation in Belgian football history.

The main figures of the golden generation led the national team to its prime from the 2014 Brazil World Cup onward, dominating world football, but the final period of their last challenge was far too futile.

Belgium faced an unfortunate setback when starting goalkeeper Courtois was substituted out due to injury in the second half. In the 43rd minute of the second half, with the score tied at 1-1, Lameens, who had taken over goalkeeping duties from Courtois, failed to properly catch the opponent's shot and dropped it—a fatal error. Mikel Merino of Spain, rushing forward, did not miss the opportunity and converted it into a decisive goal, ending the match as it stood.

It was an overly cruel exit for the veterans leaving behind past glories. The main players of the golden generation—De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, and others—consistently maintained top positions from the 2014 quarterfinals through the 2018 third-place finish and Euro 2016 and 2020 quarterfinals, but ultimately closed the door on the golden generation without ever lifting a major tournament trophy.

Additionally, key veterans such as Leandro Trossard, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne, Hans Vanaken, and Thomas Meunier are expected to effectively conclude their World Cup journeys after this tournament.

After the match, Belgium head coach Rudy Garcia expressed deep regret: "It is very disappointing that veteran players who may be playing their last matches for the national team did not get a final chance to roar." He added, "We lost our goalkeeper and captain due to injury, and had to substitute De Bruyne as well. Too many things went wrong. We should not have given opportunities to the opponent, but unfortunately, we did."

However, confirming the possibility of a generational change offers some comfort. Charles De Ketelaere, who struggled in Serie A, shined with three goals and one assist in this tournament, while players like Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku demonstrated their potential for future major tournaments. Coach Garcia added, "Our young players will learn a lot from this defeat. Belgium played an even match against Spain, and they can be fully proud of their World Cup performance."

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*This content was translated by AI.