Belgium vs. Spain: Key Players, Head-to-Head Record for International Friendly

Belgium take on Spain in an international friendly at the King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, on Thursday evening in what will be a debut for both managers, Roberto Martinez and Julen Lopetegui.

After a disappointing Euro 2016, which ended in a humbling 3-1 defeat to Wales in the quarter-finals, Belgium replaced head coach Marc Wilmots with former Everton manager Martinez, who has since drafted in France goalscoring legend Thierry Henry as a coach. 

Martinez told a press conference last week that Henry will be an important figure in the backroom staff. 

“He’s someone that has been in the situation of having to develop a mentality as a team, to chase the dream of winning something special. He did that with his country back in 1996, leading up to (World Cup) 1998,” Martinez said, per the Press Association (h/t MailOnline). 

Spain also suffered a relatively poor tournament in France and bowed out to Italy in the last 16.

Former FC Porto boss Lopetegui will have his work cut out if he is to emulate the success of the retired Vicente del Bosque, who steered his nation to a World Cup victory in 2010 and the European Championship crown in 2012.

Although Thursday’s game is billed as a friendly and both sides have two World Cup 2018 qualifying matches in the coming weeks to negotiate, neither manager will want to get off to losing start in the Belgian capital.

Here is how the two nations have fared against each other since they first met in 1921, provided by 11v11.com: 

Both sides were set to meet for a clash in November, but the game in Brussels had to be postponed over security concerns after a spate of terror attacks in Paris a week before, per BBC Sport.

Here are some of the key players and battles that could decide the outcome of this clash. 

Key Players

Michy Batshuayi vs. Diego Costa

Belgium have an embarrassment of attacking talent in their squad. Despite an indifferent season at Liverpool, Christian Benteke was recently snapped up by Crystal Palace, …

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