Belgium vs. Iran: How Kevin De Bruyne's Red Devils 'golden generation' is limping to an end at World Cup 2026

Belgium were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Group G rivals Iran on Sunday afternoon, continuing their lacklustre start to World Cup 2026.

Rudi Garcia's Red Devils are ranked ninth in the world by FIFA, but they consistently fail to perform to the standards expected of one of the 10 best teams on Earth.

Lofty expectations have been placed on the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku over the years, but they have struggled - even more so in the absence of Eden Hazard this time around.

Belgium's 1-1 draw with Egypt on matchday one also required a comeback, though they were unable to find the back of the net themselves and were the beneficiaries of an own goal from Mohamed Hany.

Here, after the Red Devils' stalemate against Iran, Sports Mole takes a look at how Belgium's 'golden generation' is drawing to a lacklustre close.

Belgium remain the under-performers at World Cup 2026

From the mid-2010s onwards, Belgium were generally considered to boast one of the most impressive squads in international football.

Thibaut Courtois in goal - shielded by Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen - was a strong rearguard, and bolstered by De Bruyne and Hazard creating chances for Lukaku up top, it was difficult to see how the Red Devils could be stopped.

However, Belgium never delivered on their promise, and they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage in Euro 2016 and 2020, though they did manage a third-placed finish at World Cup 2018.

Each competition that passed by brought a new round of exits from the national team as players began to age out of the squad, and when the 2022 World Cup saw Belgium fail to progress beyond the group stage, Hazard called time on his international career.

The former Chelsea playmaker's decision to walk away was a sobering moment for the side, who went on to reach the round of 16 at Euro 2024, where they lost 1-0 against France after conceding a Vertonghen own goal.

This time around, Belgium are without even Vertonghen, leaving a squad that is lacking in star quality outside of a De Bruyne that is approaching his 35th birthday, and 33-year-old Lukaku.

That being said, Garcia's side should have been more than capable of beating both Egypt and Iran this summer, but their progression hangs in the balance instead after two draws.

Belgium's stars at World Cup 2026

De Bruyne and Lukaku are the last remnants of the so-called 'golden generation' that had Belgium fans dreaming big over the last decade.

The duo - who both currently ply their trade for Napoli in Serie A - are in the latter stages of their respective careers, but they are still the standouts in this lacklustre Red Devils group.

De Bruyne has been the talisman in terms of creativity, while Belgium's top goalscorer of all time, Lukaku, has provided the only genuine attacking threat the nation have mustered this summer.

Lukaku came off the bench against Egypt with his team 1-0 down, and went on to force the own goal that levelled the score within 30 seconds of his introduction.

Unfortunately for the striker, he also missed a header late on that could have won the game for his side, adding to his list of costly errors.

On Sunday, De Bruyne created a number of chances against Iran, but he will have been frustrated to see his teammates fail to convert.

One of the most notable examples came as the midfielder plucked the ball out of the sky on the left-hand side of the opposition box before playing a cross into a crowded area, but after chaos ensued, Maxim De Cuyper's tame effort was saved by Alireza Beiranvand from four yards out.

The future of Belgium's squad is uninspiring

Given their ages, World Cup 2026 is likely to be the final one that De Bruyne and Lukaku participate in, and looking at the Belgium squad more broadly could be cause for concern for fans.

A number of good players such as Manchester City's Jeremy Doku, Arsenal's Leandro Trossard and Aston Villa pair Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans represent the Red Devils.

However, it would be fair to say that the 26-man list is devoid of a superstar name beyond the established veterans, and it remains to be seen who will take the mantle going forward.