A 3-1 win over Israel in the latest round of Euro 2016 qualifying matches means Belgium will catapult to the top of the FIFA world rankings despite appearing in one major tournament in 13 years.
Marc Wilmots’ side will leapfrog Argentina and Germany as the best team on the planet after a second-half goal spree also sealed Belgium top spot in Group B.
Captain Vincent Kompany overcame calf injury concerns to lead the Red Devils to victory and expressed delight at finally enjoying the highs of international football after suffering through the lows not so long ago.
"We remain realistic, but also a bit chauvinistic. We are the number one in the world and the Netherlands are out. And to think that I have seen times when we were 80th.
Just six years ago, Belgium was languishing in 66th in the rankings but their current crop of players is littered with some of the talented young players in the world including Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
However, their new standing in the game will bring added pressure and their mental game will be tested as much as their physical attributes when they embark on next year’s European Championships as one of the tournament favourites.
"Sometimes you have a dip, but talent will always prevail. It has worked out well here in Belgium and we are ready for what is to come." Kompany said.
Belgium had to overcome a sluggish start against Israel but settled in the second with three goals in a 20-minute blitz and Kompany believes the 3-1 victory was a fair reflection of his side’s performance.
"In the second half we just had a dip, but we still scored suddenly three times. This team has always shown that we can get difficult beyond difficult moments,” Kompany said.
"That has been the story of the last four years and we should be proud."