Few international rivalries have run as long, or as quietly, as the one between the Three Lions and the Red Devils. If you want to understand how two of Europe’s biggest football nations have measured themselves against each other for almost a century, the England National Football Team vs Belgium National Football Team Timeline is the perfect place to start. It stretches from the interwar friendlies of the 1920s, through a 4-4 thriller at the 1954 World Cup, David Platt’s famous volley at Italia 90, and two meetings at the 2018 World Cup, to Jude Bellingham’s last-gasp equaliser at Wembley in March 2024. In this article we walk through every era of the fixture, profile the key players on both sides, set out the ten most recent meetings in a table, and answer the questions fans ask most often.
Head-to-Head Record at a Glance
According to Sports Mole’s head-to-head records, England and Belgium have met 26 times in senior men’s football. England have won 16 of those matches, five have ended in draws, and Belgium have won five. Other databases count a draw or two differently, but every source agrees on the broad picture: England hold a commanding historical edge, yet Belgium have proved a far more awkward opponent whenever the stakes have been high, particularly at major tournaments.
It is also worth noting that the history is heavily weighted toward friendlies. The two nations have only a handful of competitive meetings: the 1954 World Cup group stage, Euro 1980, Italia 90, two games at the 2018 World Cup, and the two UEFA Nations League fixtures of 2020. Everything else was played as a friendly, which explains why England’s record looks so one-sided in the early decades.
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total meetings | 26 |
| England wins | 16 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Belgium wins | 5 |
| Earliest meeting listed by WildStat | May 1921 (Belgium 0-2 England) |
| Belgium wins on English soil | 0 in eight attempts (to March 2024) |
The Early Years: Friendlies in the 1920s and 1930s
The geography did most of the work. With cross-Channel travel easy compared with trips to Central or Eastern Europe, England and Belgium became regular friendly opponents long before the first World Cup. The inter-war period saw the sides meet ten times, and England won eight of them, scoring 42 goals along the way. Scorelines such as Belgium 1-3 England in May 1928, Belgium 1-5 England in May 1929 and Belgium 1-4 England in May 1931 tell the story of an era in which England, who had not yet entered the World Cup, treated these games as comfortable exhibition outings.
Belgium did land one notable blow. In May 1936 the Red Devils beat England 3-2 in a friendly, one of the few times the English were beaten by continental opposition in that period. It was a reminder that European football was catching up, and it set the tone for the more evenly matched contests to come.
The Post-War Era: 1947 to 1952
Shortly after the Second World War, England beat Belgium in a run of heavy wins. Belgium 2-5 England in September 1947, Belgium 1-4 England in May 1950 and England 5-0 Belgium in November 1952 showed the gap that still existed between the English side, boosted by names such as Tom Finney, and a Belgian team still building its identity. These matches were friendlies, but they were among the most one-sided in the entire series.
1954 World Cup: England 4-4 Belgium in Basel
The first competitive meeting arrived at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, and it was extraordinary. Played in Basel on 17 June 1954, the group match finished 4-4 after extra time, under rules that allowed extra time even in the group phase. Ivor Broadis and Nat Lofthouse each scored twice for England, but an own goal by Jimmy Dickinson gave Belgium a share of the points. England still progressed from the group, but the match is remembered as one of the most open and entertaining draws in early World Cup history.
The 1960s and 1970: Friendlies Before the Long Gap
The next two decades brought only occasional friendlies. England and Belgium drew 2-2 at Wembley in October 1964 and England won 3-1 in Brussels in February 1970. By then both countries were established World Cup nations, and meetings between them were increasingly squeezed out by qualifiers and bigger tournaments.
Euro 1980: A Draw Marred by Crowd Trouble
It took 26 years for the two sides to meet in a competitive match again. At Euro 1980 in Italy, England and Belgium drew 1-1 in a group game in Turin. Ray Wilkins and Jan Ceulemans scored inside the opening half hour, but the match is better remembered for crowd violence that overshadowed the football and led to tear gas being used inside the stadium. It remains one of the darker chapters in the fixture’s history.
Italia 90: Platt’s Volley in Bologna
The most famous meeting of all, at least from an English point of view, came in the round of 16 at Italia 90. With the match goalless after 119 minutes, and penalties looming, Paul Gascoigne floated a free-kick into the box and David Platt swivelled to volley past Michel Preud’homme in the 120th minute. England won 1-0 in Bologna and went on to reach the semi-finals, their best World Cup run since 1966. Belgium, for their part, hit the woodwork and felt desperately unlucky to go home.
The Late 1990s and 2012: Friendlies Return
Belgium and England drew 0-0 in Casablanca in May 1998 as part of the King Hassan II Cup, a warm-up before the World Cup in France. In October 1999 England won 2-1 in a friendly. Then came a gap of 13 years before England beat Belgium 1-0 at Wembley in June 2012, a warm-up game ahead of Euro 2012 in which Danny Welbeck scored the only goal.
2018: The Golden Generation Arrives
By the time of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium had assembled what many called their golden generation, built around Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois. The two sides were drawn in the same group, and met twice in the space of a few weeks.
The first meeting, on 28 June 2018 in Kaliningrad, was a group decider of sorts between two teams who had already qualified. Both managers rotated heavily, and Adnan Januzaj struck a spectacular winner for Belgium, who topped Group G ahead of England. The second meeting, on 14 July 2018 in Saint Petersburg, was the third-place play-off. Goals from Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard gave Belgium a 2-0 win and the bronze medal, the best finish in their history. For England, who had reached the semi-finals under Gareth Southgate, it was a disappointing end to an otherwise memorable summer.
2020: The UEFA Nations League Meetings
England and Belgium were drawn together again in League A of the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League, and both matches were played behind closed doors because of COVID-19 restrictions. England won 2-1 at Wembley on 11 October 2020 thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount. A month later, on 15 November, Belgium answered with a 2-0 win in Leuven, with Youri Tielemans and Dries Mertens on the scoresheet. That result confirmed top spot in the group for Roberto Martinez’s side, even though England had won at Wembley.
March 2024: Bellingham Saves England at Wembley
The most recent meeting we could confirm took place on 26 March 2024 at Wembley, in front of 80,733 supporters. Belgium led for much of the evening and looked set for a first-ever win on English soil, only for Jude Bellingham to score an equaliser in the 95th minute. The 2-2 draw kept England unbeaten at home against Belgium, with the visitors still without a win in eight attempts on English soil.
At the time of writing, we could not find a confirmed senior men’s meeting after that Wembley game. Both nations have since played at the 2026 World Cup and have been busy with their own qualifying and Nations League commitments, so it is worth checking an official fixtures page for any newly scheduled game.
Latest 10 Meetings Between England and Belgium
The table below lists the ten most recent senior men’s meetings, from the newest to the oldest, based on Sports Mole’s list of previous results.
| # | Date | Competition | Match | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Mar 2024 | International Friendly | England v Belgium | 2-2 | Bellingham equalised in the 95th minute at Wembley |
| 2 | 15 Nov 2020 | UEFA Nations League A | Belgium v England | 2-0 | Tielemans and Mertens scored in Leuven |
| 3 | 11 Oct 2020 | UEFA Nations League A | England v Belgium | 2-1 | Rashford and Mount scored at Wembley |
| 4 | 14 Jul 2018 | World Cup Third-Place Match | Belgium v England | 2-0 | Meunier and Hazard scored in Saint Petersburg |
| 5 | 28 Jun 2018 | World Cup Group G | England v Belgium | 0-1 | Januzaj winner in Kaliningrad |
| 6 | 2 Jun 2012 | International Friendly | England v Belgium | 1-0 | Welbeck scored the only goal at Wembley |
| 7 | 10 Oct 1999 | International Friendly | England v Belgium | 2-1 | England win |
| 8 | 29 May 1998 | King Hassan II Cup | Belgium v England | 0-0 | Goalless draw in Casablanca |
| 9 | 26 Jun 1990 | World Cup Round of 16 | England v Belgium | 1-0 | Platt volley in the 120th minute |
| 10 | 12 Jun 1980 | European Championship Group Stage | Belgium v England | 1-1 | Wilkins and Ceulemans scored |
Over those ten meetings England have won four, drawn three and lost three, and Belgium have won three of the last six, a sign that the gap has narrowed.
Key Players: England
England’s squad has been rebuilt under Thomas Tuchel, who took charge in January 2025 and has used a large pool of players, including a 35-man provisional group ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Squads change from camp to camp, so the list below highlights the players who have defined the team in recent seasons rather than a fixed starting eleven.
| Player | Position | Why he matters |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Pickford | Goalkeeper | Everton’s number one and England’s long-serving first choice, a penalty-shootout specialist |
| Reece James | Right-back | Technically gifted right-back who can also step into midfield |
| John Stones | Centre-back | Calm ball-playing defender and a veteran of the 2018 semi-final run |
| Marc Guehi | Centre-back | Composed, quick defender who has become a regular starter |
| Declan Rice | Midfielder | Engine of the midfield, strong in both defence and attack |
| Jude Bellingham | Midfielder | Scored the 95th-minute leveller against Belgium in March 2024 |
| Phil Foden | Attacking midfielder | Creative left-footed playmaker with great close control |
| Bukayo Saka | Winger | Direct, hard-working wide forward who creates and scores |
| Cole Palmer | Attacking midfielder | Cool finisher and creator with a gift for big moments |
| Harry Kane | Striker and captain | England’s record goalscorer, who also scored in the 2026 World Cup campaign |
England’s strengths are depth, athleticism and a high number of Premier League regulars. Their challenge, as the history with Belgium suggests, is to convert dominance into goals when matches turn tight.
Key Players: Belgium
Belgium’s golden generation is now in its late chapter, with several veterans sharing the field with a talented younger group. Rudi Garcia took over as head coach in 2025 after Domenico Tedesco’s departure, although coaching situations can change after a major tournament, so check the latest news before a game.
| Player | Position | Why he matters |
|---|---|---|
| Thibaut Courtois | Goalkeeper | Real Madrid’s world-class shot-stopper, a star of the 2018 bronze-medal team |
| Timothy Castagne | Full-back | Energetic defender who offers width and defensive solidity |
| Zeno Debast | Defender | Modern ball-playing centre-back with strong potential |
| Wout Faes | Centre-back | Physical and dependable in the air |
| Amadou Onana | Midfielder | Powerful ball-winner who covers huge ground |
| Youri Tielemans | Midfielder | Scored in the 2-0 win in Leuven in 2020 and remains a creative force |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Attacking midfielder | Arguably Belgium’s greatest ever playmaker, with elite passing range |
| Jeremy Doku | Winger | Electric dribbler who stretches defences with pace |
| Leandro Trossard | Forward | Versatile attacker able to play wide or as a false nine |
| Romelu Lukaku | Striker | Belgium’s all-time leading scorer and a powerful focal point |
| Charles De Ketelaere | Attacking midfielder | Technical playmaker who has matured into a regular contributor |
Belgium’s strengths are creativity in the final third and the individual brilliance of players such as De Bruyne and Doku. Their weakness in recent years has been defensive consistency and an ageing core, which makes the question of who replaces the golden generation an interesting one for fans.
Tactical Themes in the Fixture
Looking across the decades, several patterns emerge. First, England tend to start fast at Wembley, and Belgium have never found a way to win there. Second, Belgium’s best results have come when England have rotated or lacked rhythm, as in 2018 and the closing stages of the 2020 group. Third, tournament football brings out the competitive edge in this fixture: all three competitive meetings before 2018 were either decided by a single goal or ended level, and Platt’s 120th-minute winner is the clearest example.
There is also a psychological dimension. England’s players know they have never lost to Belgium at home, while Belgium’s players remember the 2018 bronze medal and the 2-0 win in Leuven. Each side has reasons to believe the next meeting could go its way, which is exactly why neutral supporters look forward to it.
FAQs
1. How many times have England and Belgium played each other?
Sports Mole records 26 senior men’s meetings between the two nations. England have won 16, five games have been drawn and Belgium have won five. Different databases classify one or two older results slightly differently, so you may see small variations between sources.
2. Who won the most recent England vs Belgium match?
Neither side. The most recent meeting we could confirm, on 26 March 2024 at Wembley, ended 2-2, with Jude Bellingham scoring an equaliser in the 95th minute. Check an official fixtures list for any more recent game.
3. Have Belgium ever won in England?
Not in the senior men’s series. As of March 2024, Belgium had failed to win in eight attempts on English soil, and the closest they came was in that 2-2 draw at Wembley.
4. What was the most famous England vs Belgium match?
For English fans it is the Italia 90 round-of-16 tie, decided by David Platt’s volley in the 120th minute. For neutrals, the 4-4 draw at the 1954 World Cup and the two 2018 World Cup meetings, including Belgium’s 2-0 win in the third-place play-off, are also strong contenders.
5. Who are the key players to watch when England play Belgium?
For England, watch Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and captain Harry Kane. For Belgium, the standouts are Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard and Romelu Lukaku. Squad selections change regularly, so check the latest team news before kick-off.
Conclusion
From the 1920s friendlies to the dramatic Wembley draw of 2024, the England National Football Team vs Belgium National Football Team Timeline shows a fixture that has grown richer with every decade. England lead the record comfortably, but Belgium’s 2018 World Cup victories and their narrow miss at Wembley in 2024 keep the rivalry alive. With new generations of players emerging on both sides, the next chapter of this long-running contest promises to be just as compelling as the last.
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