Rode Duivels' six must-win group games at World Cups

The Belgian national team has faced six must-win group-stage matches at FIFA World Cups. These high-pressure encounters have delivered mixed results. In the current World Cup format featuring three group games, Belgium has been in this decisive scenario six times. The outcomes have been inconsistent, with no clear pattern of success. The first instance occurred at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. Belgium required a victory to advance but fell short in a 2-0 defeat to Spain. The second came at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, where Belgium drew 1-1 with Morocco and narrowly missed progression.

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At the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Belgium again needed a win in their final group game. A 3-2 victory over Russia secured their passage to the knockout stage. The pattern repeated at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where Belgium beat South Korea 1-0 in their final group match to advance. More recently, at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Belgium required a draw against England to top their group. A 0-0 result ensured their progression. The most recent instance came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Belgium needed a win against Croatia to advance. A 0-0 draw ended their tournament prematurely.