Coach Rudi Garcia has stated that 'everyone' expects his Belgium team to be eliminated by Spain in Friday's World Cup quarter-final, but he remains confident his side can pull off a famous victory.
Underdog Status
European champions Spain enter the match in Los Angeles as strong favorites, having not conceded a goal all tournament. Belgium, on the other hand, have had a more challenging journey, only narrowly topping their group after two draws with Egypt and Iran, and requiring a late comeback to dispatch Senegal.
Garcia's Confidence
At a press conference on Thursday, Garcia appeared to relish being dubbed the 'underdog.' 'Everyone is already talking about us going home. But we think that we can do it,' said the coach. 'We think we can pull it off, and we're going to do everything we can to get to the semis.'
Recent Form
Belgium did find their feet in Monday's round-of-16 clash, thrashing the United States 4-1 to end the hopes of the World Cup co-hosts. Garcia pointed out that Belgium are among the tournament's top scorers, behind only France and Argentina with 13 goals. The Belgians' 107 shots are second only to France, who have played a game more.
Crowd Concerns
Asked if he was concerned a predominantly American crowd in Los Angeles could be hostile as a result of Belgium's victory over the US, Garcia said it was the least of his concerns. 'We just beat the US, obviously, and again at a stadium where everyone was against us. So I don't think the conditions will be any more difficult tomorrow,' said the coach.
Player Confidence
Belgium's veteran striker Romelu Lukaku echoed his manager's words, telling journalists that 'if you manage to get this far, then you're not going to play a game just to go home.' 'I think we also have the necessary talent. Tomorrow we need to play the perfect game,' said Lukaku.
