Belgium vs Egypt prediction

Belgium are simply the better team top to bottom, and that matters over 90 minutes. Kevin De Bruyne can slice open any defence with a single pass, and behind him Belgium have the kind of squad depth that lets them change the game from the bench when it gets tight. Egypt are built around one man. Salah is genuinely dangerous — always — but when he's quiet or well-marshalled, the Pharaohs run out of ideas quickly. An unbeaten qualifying run tells you they're organised, not that they can go toe-to-toe with a side of Belgium's calibre for a full match. Yes, tournament openers are famously cagey. Egypt will sit deep, slow the tempo, and hope Salah produces a moment of magic on the counter. Belgium have form for getting nervy under the weight of expectations at major tournaments, so don't expect this to be a stroll. But over the course of the game, Belgium have more routes to a goal, more options in attack, and the better overall profile. The quality gap is too wide to ignore. Back Belgium to win — their depth and creativity should be too much for a side that lives and dies by one player.