Frank Vercauteren, Sports Director of the Belgian Football Association, answered Telecom Asia Sport's questions about the generational change in the national team and the prospect of a friendly match with Russia.
– The Belgian squad is one of the oldest in the world. Will the team be renewed with younger talents?
- So far, it seems strange to talk about it. However, the team has lost some experienced players like Eden Hazard. Of course, the issue of generational change will be discussed with the head coach. We will see who of the so-called "old" players is ready to continue playing for the team and who of the young talents is ready to perform at the highest level and show good results. We don't have an age limit because our primary goal is to build the strongest national team regardless of age.
– Is a friendly match between Russia and Belgium possible in the future?
– Unfortunately, I cannot say anything about it. It is up to other people to decide. This is a very sensitive issue. I try to keep an eye on the sporting side, on the things I have access to. It's certainly not my decision.
In the spring of 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended the Russian national team from playing in international tournaments under the auspices of the organizations. The last matches of Valery Karpin's team were friendly matches against Tajikistan (0-0) and Uzbekistan (0-0).
