Youth Development Lessons From Belgium

In the early 2000s, Belgian football was at a crossroads. Ranked 56th in the world and missing out on major tournaments, the federation faced a choice: copy another country’s model or design a vision of its own. Kris Van Der Haegen, one of the architects of Belgium’s football revolution, believes the answer was clear. Kirs has been the Director of Coach Education for Royal Belgian football Association since 2012 and joined the MSC Podcast in 2020 to discuss the progress. Here are some takeaways from the interview.

“Copy-paste doesn’t work. Every country has its own culture and DNA. You have to start from your own reality.”

That “reality” for Belgium meant a small geography that made travel easy, but also a divided nation with two languages and different regional traditions. The only way forward was to unite clubs, coaches, and parents under a shared philosophy: put the player at the center of everything.

The Coaching Switch: From Teams to Individuals

The biggest cultural shift was what Kris calls the coaching switch.

“Forget about the team and start thinking about every single individual player. If you develop each one in the best possible way, the team automatically becomes stronger. The other way around doesn’t work.”

This meant resisting the urge to chase early results. Instead, coaches were challenged to tailor sessions to each child, ensuring no one was left behind. That philosophy extended all the way down to the youngest players.

Rethinking the Game for Kids

Belgium scrapped its old rule that children had to be eight to join a club. Five-year-olds could now start, but the game they played looked very different.

“At five years old, kids don’t want to pass the ball — they want to dribble and score. So we created what we call dribbling football.”

The new system mirrored children’s development:

• 5 years old: 1v1 with goalkeepers (focus on dribbling and scoring).

• 6–7 years: 2v2 (basic decision-making).

• Older groups: gradually increasing numbers, eventually reaching 11v11.

As Kris explains: “The shirt grows with the player. The format grows with the child.”

Winning in the Right Way

Belgium also removed league tables until U14, prioritizing development over standings. Kids still competed — goals still mattered — but pressure from adults was reduced.

To guarantee fairness, the federation introduced a four-quarter system like basketball. Every child plays at least half the game.

“I couldn’t look a kid in the eyes during the week if I knew I didn’t give him playing opportunity at the weekend.”

For Kris, this wasn’t just about football — it was about teaching values. Children had to love the game before they could truly learn it.

Patience with Talent

Perhaps the boldest part of Belgium’s approach was rethinking how talent is identified.

“Talent identification should not be about performance. It should be about potential.”

He points to Kevin De Bruyne as an example. Small and late-maturing, he might have been cut in another system. Instead, Belgium created “future teams” for late developers, giving them space and time to grow. The payoff is clear when you look at Belgium’s “golden generation” of stars.

Lessons for the U.S.

When asked how the United States could apply these lessons, Kris was realistic.

“What we did in Belgium isn’t possible in the U.S. — there are too many stakeholders and too much ego. But you can regionalize. Create the best environment for development in your area. And if you want a different outcome, you need a different input.”

The message is simple but powerful: sustainable success in football starts with patience, creativity, and a player-first mindset.

Final Thought

Kris summed up Belgium’s transformation in one sentence:

“Love the game first, then the learning can start.”

It’s a reminder for coaches, parents, and federations everywhere: if children enjoy football, development follows. If they don’t, they walk away — and no system in the world can save them.

You can watch the full interview below: