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| In Belgium, an Old Quarrel Gets a New Slant | In Belgium, an Old Quarrel Gets a New Slant |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BRUSSELS — In opposite corners of the press room, deep inside King Baudouin Stadium, two packs of journalists crowded around their subjects. | BRUSSELS — In opposite corners of the press room, deep inside King Baudouin Stadium, two packs of journalists crowded around their subjects. |
| It was Oct. 15, the day before Belgium played Scotland in a 2014 World Cup qualifier, and two of the national soccer team’s brightest stars were being mobbed. | It was Oct. 15, the day before Belgium played Scotland in a 2014 World Cup qualifier, and two of the national soccer team’s brightest stars were being mobbed. |
| Behind the first huddle, Thomas Vermaelen, who plays for Arsenal in England’s Premier League, answered questions in his native language. In the other corner was Axel Witsel, one of the most expensive soccer players after signing with the Russian team Zenit St. Petersburg for 40 million euros (about $51 million). He, too, was speaking to a fevered crowd of cameras and microphones in his native language. | Behind the first huddle, Thomas Vermaelen, who plays for Arsenal in England’s Premier League, answered questions in his native language. In the other corner was Axel Witsel, one of the most expensive soccer players after signing with the Russian team Zenit St. Petersburg for 40 million euros (about $51 million). He, too, was speaking to a fevered crowd of cameras and microphones in his native language. |
| Yet the two languages are not the same. | Yet the two languages are not the same. |
| While Vermaelen was sharing his thoughts on the Scotland game in Flemish, a derivative of Dutch spoken by half the country, Witsel was speaking in French, the language spoken by the other half. | While Vermaelen was sharing his thoughts on the Scotland game in Flemish, a derivative of Dutch spoken by half the country, Witsel was speaking in French, the language spoken by the other half. |
| “We organize our interviews separately for the French and Flemish speakers,” Stefan Van Loock, a spokesman for the Royal Belgian Football Association, said. | “We organize our interviews separately for the French and Flemish speakers,” Stefan Van Loock, a spokesman for the Royal Belgian Football Association, said. |
| “But not all players speak both languages.” As is the case with Witsel, who speaks only French, and Vermaelen, who speaks only Flemish. | “But not all players speak both languages.” As is the case with Witsel, who speaks only French, and Vermaelen, who speaks only Flemish. |
| For most national teams, the idea that its players might not speak the same language is unthinkable. But in Belgium it has long been a fact of life. | For most national teams, the idea that its players might not speak the same language is unthinkable. But in Belgium it has long been a fact of life. |
| The Red Devils defeated Scotland, 2-0, and are tied for the lead on points with Croatia in Group A after four games on the road to Brazil 2014. A generation of talented players has emerged that is the envy of Europe: the likes of Eden Hazard, Moussa Dembélé and Vincent Kompany, Manchester City’s captain who last May lifted the Premier League trophy in England. | The Red Devils defeated Scotland, 2-0, and are tied for the lead on points with Croatia in Group A after four games on the road to Brazil 2014. A generation of talented players has emerged that is the envy of Europe: the likes of Eden Hazard, Moussa Dembélé and Vincent Kompany, Manchester City’s captain who last May lifted the Premier League trophy in England. |
| But the team has had to put to one side the political and linguistic differences that have crippled society in Belgium in recent years. The team’s potential, not to mention its recent success, is providing a rare example of national unity. The country is fractured between two communities — the 6.5 million Flemish speakers of Flanders in the north and the 4.5 million French-speaking Walloons in the south. | But the team has had to put to one side the political and linguistic differences that have crippled society in Belgium in recent years. The team’s potential, not to mention its recent success, is providing a rare example of national unity. The country is fractured between two communities — the 6.5 million Flemish speakers of Flanders in the north and the 4.5 million French-speaking Walloons in the south. |
| “The differences between the two is now a matter of money,” said Lieven De Winter, a professor of contemporary politics at the Université catholique de Louvain. “Flanders is one of the most prosperous regions in Europe. Wallonia was, but it is now much weaker. It’s the classic discourse from Catalonia or northern Italy. Which region pays for social security?” | “The differences between the two is now a matter of money,” said Lieven De Winter, a professor of contemporary politics at the Université catholique de Louvain. “Flanders is one of the most prosperous regions in Europe. Wallonia was, but it is now much weaker. It’s the classic discourse from Catalonia or northern Italy. Which region pays for social security?” |
| The situation has worsened in recent years, with the possibility that Belgium could split in two. When Flemish separatists won a significant share of the vote in the 2007 federal election, it sparked a political crisis that prevented a government being formed until 2011. The deadlock lasted for 541 days, breaking the world record for the longest period of time a country has operated without a government. The previous record was held by Iraq. | The situation has worsened in recent years, with the possibility that Belgium could split in two. When Flemish separatists won a significant share of the vote in the 2007 federal election, it sparked a political crisis that prevented a government being formed until 2011. The deadlock lasted for 541 days, breaking the world record for the longest period of time a country has operated without a government. The previous record was held by Iraq. |
| Until recently, Belgium’s soccer team had risen above the infighting. Despite being a tiny nation of 11 million (about the same as Ohio) it has a rich history in the game. It qualified for six consecutive World Cup finals and made a semifinal appearance at the 1986 tournament in Mexico, a moment heralded as transformative for many Belgians. | |
| “Since 1979 we’ve had a survey of how Belgian people feel,” De Winter said. “The Walloons have always felt Belgian, the Flemish hadn’t. That shifted in 1986 in the Flemish community: a jump in 15 percent from feeling Flemish to feeling Belgian. There was no other event in that period that might have triggered it.” | “Since 1979 we’ve had a survey of how Belgian people feel,” De Winter said. “The Walloons have always felt Belgian, the Flemish hadn’t. That shifted in 1986 in the Flemish community: a jump in 15 percent from feeling Flemish to feeling Belgian. There was no other event in that period that might have triggered it.” |
| But Belgium has not qualified for a major tournament in a decade. | But Belgium has not qualified for a major tournament in a decade. |
| “When I was working in tennis, I never felt there was a problem at the player level because you speak the universal language of sport,” said Steven Martens, a former Davis Cup captain and the current general secretary of the Belgian soccer association. “But the language divide has been used on the national team level. When you have a Flemish coach, the French-speaking press is less indulgent with them and vice versa.” | “When I was working in tennis, I never felt there was a problem at the player level because you speak the universal language of sport,” said Steven Martens, a former Davis Cup captain and the current general secretary of the Belgian soccer association. “But the language divide has been used on the national team level. When you have a Flemish coach, the French-speaking press is less indulgent with them and vice versa.” |
| Now that attitude has changed. | Now that attitude has changed. |
| “We don’t see any signs of little clans appearing because it’s a well bonded, outspoken group,” he said of the current team. “They are symbolic for unity in the country.” | “We don’t see any signs of little clans appearing because it’s a well bonded, outspoken group,” he said of the current team. “They are symbolic for unity in the country.” |
| That change in attitude was partly because of the fatigue of failure and partly because of the emergence of talented players from second-generation immigrant families not steeped in the old divisions of the past. Among those players is Kompany, whose father is from Congo, a former Belgian colony. | |
| “It reflects how Belgian has evolved in the past decade,” Martens said. “The players from Congo or Morocco are to the benefit of the team because it means that the dualistic French-Flemish speaking issue is less of an issue.” | “It reflects how Belgian has evolved in the past decade,” Martens said. “The players from Congo or Morocco are to the benefit of the team because it means that the dualistic French-Flemish speaking issue is less of an issue.” |
| Kompany’s résumé does not read like that of your average soccer player. He has a university degree, speaks five languages — including Flemish and French fluently — and is currently studying, part time, for a master’s in business administration. At 26 he is the captain of his club and national team. | Kompany’s résumé does not read like that of your average soccer player. He has a university degree, speaks five languages — including Flemish and French fluently — and is currently studying, part time, for a master’s in business administration. At 26 he is the captain of his club and national team. |
| “I’m not half-Belgian and half-Congolese,” he said during an interview at Manchester City’s Carrington training center. | “I’m not half-Belgian and half-Congolese,” he said during an interview at Manchester City’s Carrington training center. |
| “I’m 100 percent Belgian and 100 percent Congolese. It’s a wealth I have.” | “I’m 100 percent Belgian and 100 percent Congolese. It’s a wealth I have.” |
| The current Belgian team has several second-generation immigrant players like the Congo-born striker Christian Benteke and midfielder Marouane Fellaini, whose parents are Moroccan. Yet it is Kompany’s ability to straddle all of Belgium’s myriad cliques that has set him apart as a leader. | The current Belgian team has several second-generation immigrant players like the Congo-born striker Christian Benteke and midfielder Marouane Fellaini, whose parents are Moroccan. Yet it is Kompany’s ability to straddle all of Belgium’s myriad cliques that has set him apart as a leader. |
| “As much as a small part of the country has become a lot more extremist in their demands to separate the country, it has had a positive effect on the national team,” Kompany said of the team’s role in forging a united front. He added that it made the other part of the country that wanted to be united “become more extreme about our national symbols.” | |
| It helps that he is playing with a talented crop of players. But why so many players have emerged now is open to debate. | It helps that he is playing with a talented crop of players. But why so many players have emerged now is open to debate. |
| There is no national academy, and many players — like Hazard and Vermaelen — were picked up by French or Dutch teams and then nurtured at their youth academies. Others point to a string of academies set up by Belgian clubs, like an 18-million-euro state-of-the-art site built by Standard Liège. Blind luck is another explanation. | There is no national academy, and many players — like Hazard and Vermaelen — were picked up by French or Dutch teams and then nurtured at their youth academies. Others point to a string of academies set up by Belgian clubs, like an 18-million-euro state-of-the-art site built by Standard Liège. Blind luck is another explanation. |
| “It is so rare for a country of our size to have so many incredible players at the same time,” Kompany said. “What we do is show the good of our country, the potential, other than focus on the differences.” | “It is so rare for a country of our size to have so many incredible players at the same time,” Kompany said. “What we do is show the good of our country, the potential, other than focus on the differences.” |
| On the day of the Scotland match, the Grand Place in the center of Brussels was alive with the sound of bagpipes and chanting. The Belgian fans were there in force, too, singing alternately in Flemish and French. | On the day of the Scotland match, the Grand Place in the center of Brussels was alive with the sound of bagpipes and chanting. The Belgian fans were there in force, too, singing alternately in Flemish and French. |
| “When we are together like today, supporting the national football team, there are no problems,” said Raymond Bebronne, a school principal. “The new federal elections are going to take place in 2014, the same year as the World Cup.” | “When we are together like today, supporting the national football team, there are no problems,” said Raymond Bebronne, a school principal. “The new federal elections are going to take place in 2014, the same year as the World Cup.” |
| By kickoff of the Scotland game, the stands at the stadium were drowned in Belgium’s black, yellow and red flag. Belgium slowly and methodically squeezed the life out of the Scottish team. Such is the depth of the squad that Hazard, who plays for Chelsea in England, has been dropped to the bench without complaint. | By kickoff of the Scotland game, the stands at the stadium were drowned in Belgium’s black, yellow and red flag. Belgium slowly and methodically squeezed the life out of the Scottish team. Such is the depth of the squad that Hazard, who plays for Chelsea in England, has been dropped to the bench without complaint. |
| It took 68 minutes for Belgium to take the lead, on a bullet header from Benteke. But the loudest cheer was reserved for a few minutes later. Kompany, taking the ball on his right foot, sent a defender the wrong way before firing an unstoppable shot high into the top right-hand corner of the goal. The announcer screamed “Vincent!” over the public address system. Almost 40,000 people replied: “Kompany!” | It took 68 minutes for Belgium to take the lead, on a bullet header from Benteke. But the loudest cheer was reserved for a few minutes later. Kompany, taking the ball on his right foot, sent a defender the wrong way before firing an unstoppable shot high into the top right-hand corner of the goal. The announcer screamed “Vincent!” over the public address system. Almost 40,000 people replied: “Kompany!” |
| By day’s end, Belgium had moved to the top of its qualification group, and a step closer to Brazil. | By day’s end, Belgium had moved to the top of its qualification group, and a step closer to Brazil. |
| “He is a patriot, he loves Belgium,” Coach Marc Wilmots, a former Belgian international, said of Kompany. “He brings together the Flemish and the Walloons. This is a national political engagement.” | “He is a patriot, he loves Belgium,” Coach Marc Wilmots, a former Belgian international, said of Kompany. “He brings together the Flemish and the Walloons. This is a national political engagement.” |