Wilmots Proud as Belgium Reaches World Cup Quarter-Finals After 28-Year Wait
For the first time since 1986, Belgium has reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Marc Wilmots’ side triumphed 2-1 over the United States in an intense Round of 16 match that went into extra time. The Red Devils, gaining momentum in the tournament, now set their sights on Argentina.
Speaking to RTBF, Wilmots praised his team’s performance in what he called “propaganda for Belgian football.” He highlighted their attacking intent and dominance despite the resilient American defense and the heroics of U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who made a World Cup record number of saves. “It wasn’t easy against a team that only thought about defending… but we created 26 shots on target,” said Wilmots. “Howard reminded me of Michel Preud’homme in 1994.”
One of the standout stories was Romelu Lukaku, who came off the bench to play a key role in extra time. Wilmots defended the striker against recent criticism: “He was mentally destroyed… I told him to stay positive and keep working. He was rewarded for that today.”
With a tough quarter-final against Argentina looming, Wilmots is already focused on preparation. “Argentina is a great footballing nation, but they haven’t shown their best yet. We have one ambition: to reach the semi-finals. We’re not afraid. If they watched our match, they might be the ones starting to have doubts.”
