Although Belgium lost their European Championship opener against Italy, any other team in their group would make a huge mistake if they underestimated Marc Wilmots' team. Losing that match doesn't take anything from the fact that Belgium, has one of the most competitive sides in Europe if you count them player by player. Another thing is that they are currently not going through a good moment, but that could change at any given moment.
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill wanted to remind everyone of this during this Wednesday's press conference ahead of the match by the end of the week: "They have, if you look at them, the most talented set of individual players at the tournament. They are very, very dangerous. The Italy game was always going to be difficult, they had three or four chances to score and didn't take them and it will be a tough night for us – but we want to make it tough for them as well.
He added: "Belgium play a different style [to Sweden] and they have a very talented squad. Little [Eden] Hazard is one of the best players playing in the world right now, they have players playing in big, big matches every week at club football. Belgium have a very talented squad, they will be disappointed with the first game. I am sure they'd have planned to get something from that and Belgium not qualifying for the last 16 is not something they will have contemplated. But if we take our performance against Sweden into the Belgium game, we can cause them problems."
Photo credit: Belgian Red Devils