Belgium Return from the Very Brink

When Thibaut Courtois, Belgium's greatest goalkeeper, made a rasping block to deny Sadio Mane and stop Senegal from going 3-0 up in the dying moments of this Round of 32 clash, the Belgian supporters in the Seattle stands hardly celebrated, for the game appeared done and dusted. After all, only one team had overturned a two-goal deficit in a World Cup knockout match in the previous 56 years — Belgium themselves, against Japan at Russia 2018.

But that Belgium was its golden generation, widely tipped to win the trophy eight years ago before settling for third place, their best-ever World Cup finish. This Belgium at the 2026 edition is a far cry, a shadow of its recent past. So much so that despite still having a few remnants from the 2018 side — Courtois himself, as well as the ageing bodies of Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, Thomas Meunier and the once-feared Romelu Lukaku — they had done well to even reach the knockouts.

After two tame draws to begin Group G, Belgium had managed precisely zero goals despite fielding their fading superstars (the only ‘Belgium’ goal until this point was an Egypt own-goal). In a must-win game to reach the Round of 32, they were fortunate to come up against New Zealand, the lowest-ranked side at this World Cup, whom they beat 5-1.

But Senegal are no New Zealand. Their defenders held a brave, disciplined high line and frustrated Belgium for 85 minutes. In the 86th, however, the ball broke to the left edge of the Senegal box, from where Meunier rolled a pass into the penalty area beyond exhausted defenders. Lukaku lurked unmarked, perhaps dismissed because the striker had managed barely an hour of football all season long for Napoli!

Lukaku, though, lashed home and blew kisses towards the sea of red behind the goal, whose supporters suddenly sensed the improbable. But surely it was too late, given that no team in World Cup history had ever recovered from a two-goal deficit this late in a knockout match? It wasn't, for the latest, if not the greatest, turnaround arrived three minutes later, in the 89th, thanks, improbably, to the very two Belgians who had been sparring moments earlier.

At the second-half hydration break, the argument between midfielders Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans had become heated enough for teammates to intervene. But with a minute of regulation time remaining, and Belgium's World Cup hanging by a thread, Trossard lofted a high cross into the box, which Tielemans guided into the net despite being clattered by the fist of Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Momentum had swung decisively, exactly 180 degrees. It carried Belgium through an otherwise drab 30 minutes of extra time that seemed destined for penalties. But just before the lottery of a shootout beckoned, Belgium found one final twist. Tielemans, whose equaliser had hauled his side back from the dead, was sent tumbling by Lamine Camara inside the penalty area.

After a lengthy VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, a decision Senegal furiously contested. Tielemans ignored the protests. Five minutes into stoppage time at the end of extra time, the captain calmly and successfully targeted the top right to complete one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in World Cup knockout history.