We have seen this argument play out across every major tournament: back your one genius and pray, or build a squad where the goals come from everywhere. Belgium just settled it with a 4-1 demolition of USA at the 2026 tournament, and the evidence is not subtle.

Romelu Lukaku scored in the 90+3 minute, not because Belgium were hanging on, but because they were still pressing for more. That is what genuine attacking depth produces: intensity that does not drop when the game is won.

Belgium scored across multiple attacking phases throughout the match, with different players providing the threat at different moments. No single system dependency, no single point of failure.

The historical blueprint reinforces this. Belgium's most dangerous eras have always featured interchangeable forwards operating across multiple channels, not one creator carrying ten passengers.

The counter reads like this: USA were tactically outmatched by a far more experienced side, so this scoreline flatters Belgium's actual ceiling against elite defensive systems. One result does not map cleanly onto a quarter-final against a team that defends with structure and discipline. We accept that framing, then reject it: Belgium's 90-plus minute pressure and multiple-scorer output is precisely the profile that dismantles low-block defences, because sustained width and late runners cannot be managed by a single defensive shape.

Our verdict: Belgium reach the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament, and their squad construction superiority is the reason. Any opponent banking on stopping one player will be exposed by the second.

This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.