Belgium’s new generation carries forward golden legacy (Image: X) When Belgium needed a moment of brilliance in their World Cup opener against France on Saturday, it was one of the old hands who stepped up.Alexander Hendrickx’s penalty-corner goal in the 56th minute helped Belgium edge France 3-2. But while the result offered an early reminder of the quality and experience still present in the Belgian side, this is also a team trying to build its next chapter.The team that walked out for this World Cup was not quite the same side that won the title in 2018 and followed it up with Olympic gold in Tokyo. A generation of senior players has moved on, with Hendrickx saying nine or 10 players retired after the Paris Olympics.In their place has come a younger group being asked to carry forward the standards established by the golden generation.“It’s always difficult to get that collective work to click perfectly straight away,” captain Arthur van Doren said in the build-up to the tournament. “We’ve worked quite hard on that, and we’re now in a very good state of mind.” The transition, however, has not meant abandoning the identity that has made Belgium one of the world’s leading hockey nations.“You always adapt and evolve,” added van Doren, who plays for Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League. Hendrickx, who has been at the heart of Belgium’s success for more than a decade, meanwhile sees the younger generation bringing something different from the team.“They’re learning quickly and they’re quite physical,” he said.
