Kevin De Bruyne complaints on ageing squad show Belgium’s ‘main problem’ is their mentality - Pablo Zabaleta
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Updated 27/11/2022 at 15:28 GMT
Former Manchester City and Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta has criticised Belgium’s mentality after Kevin De Bruyne said the Red Devils have “no chance” of winning the 2022 World Cup because they are “too old”. After citing squads in a similar age bracket, Zabaleta insisted they do have the capacity to challenge. “Mentality is Belgium’s main problem, not quality,” he said on BBC before kick-off.
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Pablo Zabaleta has said that Belgium have a “mentality” problem and not a quality problem amid debate about the Red Devils' ageing squad.
The comments came after midfielder Kevin De Bruyne proposed Belgium have “no chance” of winning the World Cup.
Roberto Martinez’s side edged out the Canadians by a goal to nil with a sub-par performance, much like Belgium's previous form that led to De Bruyne questioning whether they could challenge the world’s best teams.
Speaking on BBC ahead of Belgium’s clash with Morocco, the former Manchester City and Argentina defender took aim at De Bruyne and Belgium, claiming that their mentality is the “main problem”.
“31, 32, is that old in football?” Zabaleta questioned. “Look at Croatia, [Luka] Modric, 37, [Ivan] Perisic, [Dejan] Lovren.
“I mean Uruguay, [they have Luis] Suarez, [Diego] Godin, [Martin] Caceres, I didn’t have them then complaining ‘we’re an old squad, we’re an ageing squad’ and all that. No, that’s not the right mentality and I think that’s the main problem for Belgium.
“It’s not the quality because I feel they still have good enough players to beat anybody in this World Cup, but of course if you’re already complaining about all these things and not right at it, it’s going to be very difficult for them.”
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba added: “I think that’s the right age, that’s where you feel experience, you want to win.
“I think they miss maybe some players because they are a fantastic team four years ago,” Drogba said in response to whether Belgium regret allowing their squad to age.
“And now it’s a bit more difficult to find the same rhythm, the same connections, [Dries] Mertens is not starting, he’s not there, you have to build from that team and you have to build with the new players coming in and obviously it’s cultural, being very pessimistic, but at the same time it’s also to say to the guys this is not enough if you want to go further in the competition."
Belgium’s oldest players are 35-year-old pair Jan Vertonghen and Mertens, while Toby Alderweireld and Axel Witsel are both 33.
De Bruyne, grouped with Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard are all 31, with 30-year-old Thibaut Courtois the only other player in their thirties.
Secretary General of the French Football Federation Laura Georges agreed with Zabaleta and Drogba and said it was all about mentality when playing at the World Cup.
“The journalists say it’s cultural, and this is what makes it different,” she said. “At the World Cup, you have really good quality players. But in the end it’s here [in the mind], it’s here.
“Do you still want more? Do you still want to achieve? Do you still want this? Just depends on the mentality of the players.”
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