It was in 2001 that the Red Devils last qualified for a big tournament - the World Cup in Japan and Korea the following year - but since then Belgians have been spectators. That is unlikely to change soon: Belgium is languishing in fourth place in its Euro 2012 qualifying group and would need a miracle set of results to make it to the Poland and Ukraine event.

It is a grim decline in form for the country that reached six successive World Cup finals until 2002. Since then, Belgium has slipped from 16th place in the FIFA rankings to 57th.

Equally, Belgian clubs, once a force to be reckoned with in European competition - taking home UEFA and Cup Winners cups - are now barely noticeable. In 2000, Anderlecht beat Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven before being knocked out of the second group stage of the Champions League. This year, like too many before, there were no Belgian sides in the competition - although Anderlecht, currently heading the Belgian League, did sneak through to the second round of the Europa League at the tail end of last year.

So, on the face of it, not much to celebrate right now. However, look behind the records of the national side and the clubs, and there are glimmers of hope. And they come from the players themselves. Belgian footballers have been slowly rebuilding their reputations as keen, solid, imaginative performers.

In England's Premier League, Belgians are among the most consistent players and include Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen, Everton's Marouane Fellaini, Fulham's Moussa Dembélé (pictured) and Manchester City's Vincent Kompany. Lille's 19-year-old midfielder Eden Hazard has been hailed as the next Lionel Messi and has already attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs.

And if the rumours are correct, by the end of this month, Anderlecht's 17-year-old prodigy Romelu Lukaku will break Belgian transfer records in a few days, going to Liverpool.

Europe may be out of reach for Belgian clubs, and the Red Devils look like sitting out Euro 2012. But if the young Belgian talent already lighting up Europe continues to mature, then watch out for a comeback.