Roberto Martínez summons Hazard, Courtois and Carrasco for the Euro

Roberto Martínez, Belgium coach, announced the list of 26 Belgian players who will attend Euro 2020. Among the players mentioned are the two internationals from ‘Los Diablos Rojos’ who play for Real Madrid: goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and attacker Eden Hazard, two of his key men in the last World Cup in Russia. The former was proclaimed the Golden Glove due to his interventions (especially in the Belgian triumph over Brazil: in addition, he only conceded six goals in seven games), while the latter was elected Silver Ball of the World Cup (he was surpassed by Luka Modric, proclaimed Ballon d'Or of said World Cup tournament).

From Hazard, Roberto Martínez was happy about his physical condition: “It is in a very satisfactory shape. We have followed his situation very closely and we know exactly where he is. I think his medical condition is the best he's had in a long, long period of time. We are very happy. The level of form is very satisfactory. You don't have to remember how important Eden Hazard is to the national team. Is our captain. The way it performs in our environment is essential and vital. It is important that he finish his season with Real Madrid strong. In the last weeks he has had a good medical level and he seems like a player who can play at his best level in the coming weeks, “he said. He also praised the Madrid goal: “He is going to bring a very high level to the national team, which is not a surprise for us”.

Both for Courtois, who on August 11, will be ten years old since his debut as a Belgian international, and for Hazard it will be his second participation in a European Championship after attending the France-2016 event. In the tournament held in Gallic lands, the goalkeeper participated in five games, conceding three goals. The attacker, meanwhile, scored a goal and gave four assists in five games.

In the list also appears the rojiblanco Yannick Carrasco, as well as other illustrious like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. Apart from the 26, Martínez has reserved another 11 players in case of injury or other mishap that would prevent them from attending the European event. They are Kaminski, Saelemaekers, Sambi Lokonga, Heynen, Foket, Januzaj, Mechele, J. Lukaku, Vanheusden, Verschaeren, and De Ketelaere. Of the rojiblanco player he says: “He has developed a lot as a human being and has matured a lot. He had a really fast professional career.”

Belgium will face Russia (June 12, 9:00 PM in St. Petersburg), Denmark (Copenhagen, 6:00 PM, June 17) and Finland (again in St. Petersburg, 9:00 PM, June 21) at the first phase of the tournament.

The list of players of the Croatian national team was also made official. Luka Modric will once again lead the chess in the pan-European tournament. The Madrid midfielder heads a list in which illustrious veterans are mixed, as is his own case, along with that of Kovacic, Vida, Lovren, Badelj, Perisic … along with that of young promises such as Gvardiol, Brekalo, Ivanusec and Vlasic, for name a few. The rojiblanco Vrsaljko and the Osasunista Budimir are also mentioned.. The generational replacement of this team is underway and this tournament must be the one to verify that the renewal is underway.

The Croatian national team, led by Zlatko Dalic, is in Group D, along with the national teams of England, Scotland and the Czech Republic. The Croats will open the competition against the English on June 13 at Wembley (3pm). His two remaining games will be played in Scotland, in Glasgow, in the mythical Hampden Park: first against the Czech Republic (June 18 at 6:00 p.m.), to finish against Scotland (June 22 at 9:00 p.m.) .