Euro 2020 – How old is Belgium's team?

Belgium
(Image credit: PA)

Belgium are among the favourites to win the European Championship this summer.

The Red Devils marched through the group phase with a minimum of fuss, and were one of only three teams to amass maximum points.

Belgium beat Russia, Denmark and Finland to set up a last-16 tie with Portugal, who finished third in Group F.

Cristiano Ronaldo and co. won the last edition of this tournament and are looking to retain their crown at Euro 2020.

Belgium will hope to eliminate the holders from the competition when they go head-to-head with Portugal at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville on Sunday.

Roberto Martinez's side certainly have plenty of experience in their ranks, with Belgium's the second-oldest squad in the competition.

Only Sweden's 26-man travelling party has a higher average age than Belgium's, which stood at 29 years, one month and 27 days at the start of the tournament.

Ten of the Red Devils' 26 squad members are aged 30 or over, while Jeremy Doku is the only teenager in their group.

Thomas Vermaelen, once of Arsenal and Barcelona and currently plying his trade with Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe, is the oldest player in the Belgium squad. Vermaelen was born on 14 November 1985 and is 35 years old.

Jan Vertonghen and Dries Mertens are both 34 years old, while reserve goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is 33.

There are two 32-year-olds in the Belgium squad: Axel Witsel and Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld. Nacer Chadli is 31, and Eden Hazard and Christian Benteke are both 30. 

Some of Belgium's key players are in their 20s, including the 28-year-old Romelu Lukaku and the 29-year-old Kevin De Bruyne.

The 19-year-old Doku started in Belgium's 2-0 victory over Finland last time out.

He is comfortably the youngest member of the squad, followed by the 24-year-old Youri Tielemans.

The likes of Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne and the 29-year-old Thibaut Courtois form part of Belgium's 'golden generation'.

Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup are arguably this team's last chances to win silverware.

FourFourTwo Staff

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