Only two teams were outstanding and talked about in positive terms: the finalists. On a larger scale, it was a testimony of impoverished football. On the other hand, both teams represented optimistic direction. Belgium was perhaps more discussed because they were a pleasant surprise. Unlike West Germany, the ‘Red Devils’ had few impressive personalities, but were more interesting in tactical terms. Of course, credit goes to their coach.
Guy Thys was little known before the European finals and hardly had the presence of a great coach – he talked modestly and never promised much. Yet, there was confidence in his words. He trusted his team and was not heavy-handed disciplinarian. Thys was right – his team delivered on the pitch and followed the requirements. Thys was master of tactical surprises – he knew the opponent’s style very well and adapted to it, using the weaknesses. On the surface and following the standard the norms of the time, Belgium looked like that:
Slightly modified 4-3-3, close to 4-4-2. At a glance, the scheme appeared deficient: classic right winger and typical center-forward. No left winger, which normally was interpreted as a limitation – the team depended heavily on the right, which was easy to read and block. But it was only on paper – Ceulemans was versatile and unpredictable. Not at all English type center-forward bolted in front of the net and waiting for crosses from the wings. Van der Elst was not always sticking to the right side either. Mommens had enormous operating field, helping the defense, playing as a midfielder when needed, and attacking as a left winger. Flexible player, contributing to specific tactical needs. The big figure of the team was a midfielder – van Moer, the only survivor of the 1970 Belgian team, which played at the World Cup. The surprising thing about van Moer was that he was 35 and looked his age – thus, nobody expected him to run endlessly from one of the pitch to the other and always to be in the midst of action. Van Moer had the energy, fitness, and stamina of 20-years old. He was the motor and the conductor of the team, but he was not the typical play-maker of the 1970s. He never shied away from dirty work, he constantly helped the defense, and started attacks from deep back. He also pressured the opposition in midfield like defensive midfielders did. But his passes were precise and lethal, he was able to keep the ball and to change the tempo of the game. Slightly behind him operated a pair of defensive midfielders – Cools and van der Eycken, securing the midfield and helping the defense. If Cools was typical defensive midfielder, van der Eycken was universal – he often rushed ahead, acting almost as a winger.
The defense was what became typical in the late 70s – two very active and attacking minded full backs – Gerets on the right side and Renquin on the left, and a pair of libero and stopper in the middle. Gerets was particularly dangerous, for he was creative passer and also a scorer. Renquin was part of elastic and flexible left side, which had no typical midfielder and winger – the roles were interchanged. The center-defenders were less modern at a glance – neither Meeuws, nor Millecamps were typical libero and stopper – they acted as the needs of the moment required, staying conservatively back. Meeuws was something between sweeper and libero – he conducted the line, yet, he was not behind everybody else, for the great weapon of the Red Devils was the off-side trap, which required all players to be in a straight line. But straight line was easy to penetrate too, so it was a matter of good reading of the game. Meeuws moved back and forth as needed – unlike the English defense, which played outdated line formation and thus fell victim of speedy strikers coming from midfield. As for the role of libero – creative conductor of attacks Meeuws was not: van Moer did that. Meeuws and Millecamps were deliberately staying back in case Gerets and Renquin were caught far ahead of their positions. As a whole, Belgian scheme was defensive – players were deeper back positioned, minding numerical superiority in their own half of the pitch, killing the attacking efforts of the opposition and ready for speedy counter-attacks. The players were up to the requirements of total football – they were versatile, able to change positions and cover for each other, physically fit, unselfish, smart. The whole approach was collective, there were no stars around whom the game was built. Like the Germans, the Red Devils pressured and crowded the opposition. Like the Dutch they were constantly looking for attacking opportunities. Like the Italians they saturated their own half with tough defenders. Like the English they never gave up. Like the Czechoslovakians they had no outstanding stars, but acted as a collective. It looked like Belgium combined the best of different schools, but it was not just a mix of different ellements – Belgium was unpredictable, for it was very intelligent team – they changed tactics in a second: one minute they played rugged Italian defense, but as soon as they got possession of the ball, they started attack as the Dutch. Or the English. Or the Germans. One never knew what they will do. And behind the field players was a great goalkeeper – Pfaff. With him, the defense was relaxed and never panicked.
It was not only the approach of the team, but the novelty of the players: Belgium came as an underdog to the finals. Most players were practically unknown and were ‘discovered’ during the finals. The renaissance of Belgium was noticed, of course – Anderlecht and FC Brugge were already successful and talked about. But the success, particularly of Anderlecht, was due to foreign players – the stars were Dutch. Belgians played secondary role. Those, who came to the European finals did not play for the top teams – that was why nobody knew them. Pfaff played for semi-professional Beveren. Van Moer and Gerets – for Standard Liege, which experienced a crisis in the first half of the 1970s and lost its leading position in Belgian football. Perhaps the best ranked internationally was Francois van der Elst, the striker of Anderlecht. Individually, the Belgians were less impressive than as a collective. The European finals established 5 players – four new stars. One name was neither new, nor young, though.
Wilfried van Moer, here getting ready to tackle an Italian, was the most surprising discovery. Or rather rediscovery. The sole survivor of the old ‘Red Devils’ of the 1960s and the only player appearing at World Cup finals in the now very distant 1970. He was already forgotten – heavy injury kept him not only out of sight for a long time, but he was past retirement age already. At 35, he was playing for small Beringen. Guy Thys was clearly building younger squad and well veterans were not included. Originally, van Moer was not in the coach’s plans either – it was the insistence of the Belgian journalists putting van Moer back in the team. The journalists were right – the fiery midfielder was a revelation. He run like 20-years old, covering the whole field. A dynamo of a player, he was everywhere, energetically fighting for possession of the ball and then starting immediately dangerous attack. Not a typical playmaker at all – he was humble workaholic, not shying away from defensive tasks and not acting as a star veteran at all. He lead the team by example. Usually a veteran so old, even having a great tournament, is only mentioned – because of age, such a player practically has no future – but it was different with van Moer. His fitness, energy, skills gave impression that he has at least 3-4 years ahead of him.
Jean-Marie Pfaff clears the ball before Keegan reaches it. Pfaff was a discovery of the finals. Although he debuted for Belgium in 1976, he had few matches for the national team so far. Christian Piot was the big name for years and when he retired in 1977 it seemed that Belgium had no replacement. The ascent of Belgian football after 1975 somehow lacked promising goalkeeper – Anderlecht and FC Brugge depended on foreigners. Pfaff played for small club and although Beveren enjoyed perhaps its best years at the end of the 1970s, no stars came out of it. Since first choice goalkeepers usually are listed with number 1 at major tournaments, Pfaff seemingly was a reserve for the European finals to Royal Antwerpen’s keeper Theo Custers, also unknown player. But not only Pfaff was chosen to play, but he made huge impression and perhaps was the best goalkeeper at the finals. At 26, he was at the right age – since goalkeepers as a rule mature later than field players, he was precisely at the age when great keepers make their mark. Plenty of experience already and many years ahead of him, for keepers players longer than field players as well. Pfaff was here to stay – he was expected to be one of the best keepers in the 1980s, a player for the future. His impact was so great, nobody noticed – and rightly so, for third choice keepers hardly ever play – another name in the Belgian squad: Michel Preud’homme. As it happened, Belgium had two great keepers at hand instead of acute crisis, but 1980 was Pfaff’s year. He arrived – and he stayed on top for years.
Eric Gerets exits the pitch, listening to the team captain Cool (6) along with Vandereycken (7).One of the rugged bearded Belgians at first, he became famous quickly. Arguably, the biggest discovery among the Belgians. Not exactly young, but at his prime – 26 years old right full back of Standard Liege. Standard declined in the first half of the 1970s and lost its leading position in Belgian football to FC Brugge – perhaps the reason Standard’s players were still unknown: everybody was focused on Anderlecht and FC Brugge. The club was in the process of rebuilding, but the new team was not ready for success yet – Gerets was key part of the new team, he was noticed at home, Thys made him his first choice. Gerets debuted for the Red Devils in 1975, but 1980 brought him international fame. He was exactly what a modern full back was dreamed to be: excellent tough defender, who constantly participated in organizing – and finishing – attacks. Gerets was constantly moving similarly to Paul Breitner: although he was more conservative than Breitner, he did not restrict himself to the right side of the field, as full backs usually did. He was capable organizer, very fit, and a leader. Compared to Manfred Kaltz, Gerets was perhaps better, for Kaltz was a bit deficient in his strictly defensive role. Gerets was instantly seen as one of the stars of the coming 80s – and he fulfilled the expectations.
Michel Renquin, 24-years teammate of Gerets, covering the other side of defense. The left full-back debuted for Belgium in 1976, but like Gerets he got international recognition in 1980. Another modern full-back, equally comfortable defending and attacking, although more conservative than Gerets. Renquin was a particularly pleasant discovery, for there were few really strong full-backs at the time – some, like Dietz, were getting old, others, like Krol, moved to the center of defense, and Breitner to midfield. Renquin stepped in to close the gap.
Since the Belgian approach was defensive, no surprise the newly discovered stars were from the back lines. Yet, the last discovery was a striker.
Jan Ceulemans was the younger of the Belgian stars, but also the only one with European reputation – not a great star, but emerging one. At 23, the tall and strong striker already had 6 seasons in the Belgian championship. His scoring abilities were noticed quickly and FC Brugge bought him from Lierse in 1978. Ceulemans was quick to deliver – he ended 1979-80 season as one of the top European goalscorers with 29 goals. For Belgium he debuted in 1977. For a tall and physical striker, he was surprisingly mobile and versatile: he did not play as an English-type center-forward pinned in front of the net waiting for high balls, but operated on a wide field, often coming from deep back – and with time he moved even further back, becoming an attacking midfielder. He was unpredictable, difficult to block, and scored a lot, yet, he was not a selfish player. Like van Moer and Gerets, courageous, inspirational, and highly spirited player – a true leader. And of course one of the players for the future.
The new stars made Guy Thys move believable – he said that his team is not at its peak yet, that it was still unfinished team, to reach its potential in about 2 years. Apart from van Moer, the other discoveries were at the right age for exactly that. And more than that: they had great leadership potential, so clearly Belgium had the backbone already and with a bit more refining, the Red Devils were to be great team in the coming 1980s. The assets of Belgium were tactical richness and collective approach.