Our prediction for this Nations League match:
After rolling over Poland 6-1, Belgium will look to give fans yet another reason for celebration when they take on Wales at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. The Red Devils quickly bounced back from a shocking 4-1 loss to Netherlands, with the team regaining a much-needed confidence. Romelu Lukaku is likely to miss out once again with an ankle problem, and, in his absence, a man to watch in the away team will be Man City ace Kevin De Bruyne, who found the net in the crushing of Poland.
Brighton midfielder Leandro Trossard is pushing for a start after scoring a brace against Robert Lewandowski and Co. The Dragons, on the other hand, aim to make amends for a 2-1 loss to Netherlands. Gareth Bale returns to the starting XI after he was rested against the Oranje, but given Belgium’s attacking potential, away win should be considered. Defender Ethan Ampadu should be recalled to the starting XI, as well as experienced midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
Highlighted Player (Gareth Bale):
Gareth Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a winger. “Bailo” was born in Cardiff on 16 July, 1989 and, as expected, he played for his home-town club Cardiff Civil Service at the start of his youth career. He moved to Southampton’s football academy in 1999 and he made a great progress during his spell with the Saints.
Bale made 40 league appearances for the first team and it has to be noted that he played as a full back at the start of his senior career. In 2007 he signed a contract with Tottenham Hotspur and he was producing thrilling performances with the White Hart Lane outfit from 2007 to 2013. Real Madrid chiefs did well to sign him on 1 September, 2013 for a fee of €91 million.
The Welsh winger won two Champions League trophies with los Blancos (2013/2014, 2015/2016) and, speaking of his international career, he made it to the European Championship finals with Wales. The Welsh ace scored three goals at the showpiece tournament in France as the Dragons reached the semi-final.
Highlighted Team (Belgium):
Present on the international stage since 1904, Belgium national team have had plenty of ups and downs in the past, finishing as runners up at the 1980 European Championship in Italy. The Red Devils also won the third place on home soil at the 1972 tournament, while they enjoyed some success at the World Cup finals as well.
Belgium qualified for 12 World Cup tournaments, reaching the semi-finals in 1986 and quarter-finals at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. It is the generation that played in Brazil that is believed to be the most talented team since the one featuring Enzo Scifo, Michel Preud’homme and Franky van der Elst.
Playing their home games at King Baudouin Stadium, the Red Devils have impressed at the start of the 21st century, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne just some of the world-class players in the squad. Following some impressive results in the Euro 2016 qualifiers and international friendlies, Belgium climbed to number 1 position in the FIFA Rankings in November 2015.