Red Flames face rebuilding after World Cup miss, coach bears ultimate responsibility

In a quiet studio in Brussels, analyst Imke Courtois and former player Eddy Demarez dissected the Red Flames' heart‑breaking exit from the World Cup qualification campaign, their voices echoing the disappointment that still lingers after the penalty‑shootout defeat.

Analysis of the decisive matches

Courtois warned, "I fear a little for Gunnarsdottir," before detailing how the team failed to capitalise on the opening leg against Poland, where a missed chance left the score at 2‑2 after extra time. She noted that the Flames "created far too few" opportunities in open play and struggled to break down Poland’s growing dominance in the second half.

Demarez agreed, saying the performance "could not have been good enough" and that the team "did not have enough moments in the attacking phases". He added that after the 2‑2 draw, Poland seemed to have the "juice" left in their legs, forcing the Flames into a defensive posture.

Coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir under the microscope

The duo questioned how much of the failure should be attributed to coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir. Demarez asked, "To what extent should we blame the coach for the missed World Cup, the relegation from Nations League A‑division and the loss in the B‑division?" Courtois answered, "A coach always has the final responsibility. She signed under certain sporting ambitions that were realistic, and she certainly has a large share in the outcome, though it must be tempered."

Poland grabs the lead, Flames must redo all for World Cup qualifying

Both analysts recalled the team’s earlier successes, recalling the “streamlined momentum” after the first European Championship qualification and the strong showing at the European Championship in England, which had made World Cup participation seem inevitable.

Courtois highlighted the growing number of Belgian players developing abroad, noting that the national programme must keep pace with rivals whose talent pools are increasingly spread across Germany, France, England and Spain. She argued that rankings do not always reflect a nation’s developmental trajectory, pointing out that Poland, ten places lower, also fields many players in top European leagues.

Red Flames rally behind coach Gunnarsdottir as future remains uncertain

The discussion concluded with a sober assessment: the Red Flames must rebuild, nurture talent abroad, and ensure that future coaching appointments align with realistic sporting goals, lest another World Cup opportunity slip away.