On June 14, in an interview, Belgian player De Kuyper talked about his expectations for the upcoming World Cup campaign for the Belgian national team.
For the current Belgian national team, external expectations for the 2026 World Cup are far less enthusiastic than in the past. In the view of Belgian defender De Kuyper, this might actually be a good thing.
The left-back, who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, is a representative figure among Belgium's new generation of players. With coach Rudi Garcia taking office, the Belgian national team is gradually transitioning from the "golden generation" to a new generation.
Over the past decade or so, Belgium boasted a star-studded lineup hailed as the "golden generation," including world-class stars such as De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Courtois. However, this talented team has also always carried immense expectations and pressure.
In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium eliminated Brazil in the quarterfinals, then lost to eventual champions France in the semifinals, ultimately securing third place. De Kuyper described the victory over Brazil as "one of the most iconic matches in Belgian football history."
Four years later, in the Qatar World Cup, Belgium suffered a setback. Despite being widely favored, they scored only 1 goal and were eliminated in the group stage, finishing behind Morocco and Croatia, missing out on the knockout rounds.
Now heading into the 2026 World Cup, Belgium is no longer a favorite to win. According to predictions from relevant companies, their odds of winning are as high as 50 to 1.
De Kuyper commented: "If you look back, in 2010 we didn't even qualify for the World Cup, but by 2018 we reached the semifinals. As results improve, people's expectations naturally change. When a new generation of players emerges, these expectations will shift again."
"The pressure on us is clearly not as great as it was on that team a few years ago."
"This situation has its pros and cons. Sometimes pressure can push you to become stronger, but it can also be a burden. I understand the advantages and disadvantages."
"However, for many players participating in a major tournament for the first time, perhaps less pressure is a good thing. I hope we can get into form step by step and see how far we can go."
Although the team has entered a new era, De Kuyper frankly admitted that veterans like De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Courtois are still important assets to the team.
When they defeated Brazil in 2018, De Kuyper was just 17 or 18 years old. Now, he is able to play alongside his idols.
He said: "When I watched them play against Brazil, I was only 17 or 18."
"Now it's a huge honor for me to be able to play with them in the World Cup."
"What surprised me most was how easy the integration process was. They are not only great players but also very good people. Being with them makes you feel very comfortable, so playing together becomes easy."
Compared to his stable starting position in the national team, De Kuyper's situation at his club is slightly different.
Last summer, Brighton & Hove Albion signed him from Brugge for £17.3 million. However, due to the presence of Turkish international Ferdi Kadıoğlu, he faces fierce competition at left-back. In the 38 Premier League matches of the 2025-26 season, De Kuyper started only 17 games.
But at the national team level, he is highly trusted by Garcia. In the 13 games since Garcia took charge, he has played in 11.
Speaking of the coach, De Kuyper spoke highly of him: "From day one, we established a very good relationship."
"We are very honest with each other. He has always tried to make the whole team more cohesive, which is not easy because national team players usually only spend about a week together during each training camp."
"He has done an excellent job in this regard."
When he first joined Brighton & Hove Albion, De Kuyper was considered an attacking full-back with weaker defensive skills. But over the past year, he has been working hard to improve his defensive abilities.
He said: "The coaching staff and I have been discussing what I do well and where I still need to improve."
"They don't need to teach me much about attacking; it's more about how to improve my defensive performance."
"Over the past few months, we have been focusing on this aspect of training."
As a full-back, De Kuyper often has to face the impact of top Premier League wingers. Therefore, he is very grateful to have explosive players like Doku in the national team.
The Manchester City winger is considered one of the leading figures of Belgium's new generation.
De Kuyper said: "Having him as a teammate makes my game much easier."
"Everyone knows his abilities. If I understand his running habits, know what he wants to do and where he's going, then I can more easily find open spaces or get more room when I have the ball."
"Because he always draws the attention of two or three defenders."
The two have been playing together in the national team for over two years.
De Kuyper said: "At first, we needed to get to know each other and build understanding."
"But now we've reached a level where most of the time I can anticipate what he's going to do next."
On Monday (CEST), Belgium will face Egypt in their first match of World Cup Group G, followed by Iran and New Zealand. After the failure of the Qatar World Cup, this blend of old and new Belgian team hopes to prove itself again.
De Kuyper remains cautiously optimistic about the team's prospects:
"I don't know if we can win the World Cup."
"But I think we have every chance to have a very good World Cup."
"The team has many excellent players, and the most important thing is to stay united. We have been doing this in every training camp and every match over the past few months."
"If we can maintain this cohesion, we will have a chance to succeed in this World Cup."