The Fiji Times »Belgium will return for the glory of the Euro in 2020

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) – Belgium's bitter defeat in the semi-finals of the World Cup is tempered by the fact that influential members will probably still be in the European Championship two years from now. another chance

The country's "golden generation" was hoping for their first World Cup final, but missed Tuesday's hopes as France defeated them 1-0 at St Petersburg. [19659002] But if there is consolation, there will be many who will come back to try again at the Euro 2020 tournament where, if they qualify comfortably, Belgium will be among the favorites.

"Belgian football has a mine of young talents Indeed, in my role, I have an eye on the Euros in 2020," said coach Roberto Martinez, who signed an extension of two-year contract until 2020, a few weeks before the kickoff of the World Cup. [19659002] "It's too early to do a kind of evaluation of the tournament (Russia) at the moment, we have to focus on this last game, returning to St. Petersburg and facing the opportunity to get beat for this third place.

"Then we will need To regroup again, as happens after any tournament, we have to watch the younger generation and try to become stronger tournament tournament. Belgium plays Saturday against the loser of Wednesday's semifinal between Croatia and England in third place in the playoffs.

Players like Captain Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are still under 28 and will be looking forward to another chance.

"The disappointment is huge but we have to be realistic, we had a good tournament, even the game against France was good, and we can be proud despite the fact that we lost," said De Bruyne.

"There was little difference between us and France and, finally,"

Belgium's top international performances were the finalists of the European Championship in 1980 and now two semi-finals of the World Cup, which premiered in 1986.

Asked if we were being knocked out of the World Cup represented the last chance for a group of talented players who have promised a lot in recent years, Courtois said, "I do not know. Euros are only two years away. "