Everton’s 21-year-old midfielder Amadou Onana has expressed his optimism that his Belgium side can achieve World Cup glory in Qatar.
Signed from Ligue 1 side Lille in the summer, Onana has only made two senior appearances for his national team to date but was included in Belgium’s World Cup squad by ex-Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who has a plethora of top-class talent at his disposal.
Onana said, “We have very experienced players, I’m talking about Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and others. I think we have a great mix. Talking about pressure – I don’t feel no pressure. We have a great team. Of course, we have to take it in a very serious way and not just think, ‘we are Belgium and we’re going to make it anyway’, but I’m quite confident.”
It could be the last opportunity for many in a squad often referred to as Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, but Onana believes that his side have a player capable of things few others are – Kevin de Bruyne. The Everton midfielder said of his Belgian teammate, “To me he is – I was saying in the locker room just today – he does things no one else can do. He is one of the best players in the world. That is my opinion. I think you would have to ask them (the older players in the squad) if it is their last World Cup. I would be pleased to keep playing with them because they are great, great players.”
At the prospect of facing Everton teammate and England’s number one Jordan Pickford in the final, Onana replies, “Why not? I’ll score against him! I’m joking, but why not?”
Belgium open their 2022 World Cup account against Canada on Wednesday 23rd, November 2022.