Tough test: England will face Belgium at a sold-out Wembley

Wilmots, an international striker with 70 caps and 29 goals, is among the candidates for the full-time role along with former goalkeeper Michel Preud'homme, who is coaching in Saudi Arabia, and Eric Gerets, who is manager of the Morocco team.

Gerets, the popular choice, was part of the last Belgium team  to be saddled with the 'golden generation' tag.

They reached the final of the European Championship in 1980 and the World Cup semi-finals in 1986 under the guidance of Guy Thys.
It was a decade which also featured Jan Ceulemans, Franky van der Elst and Enzo Scifo in the red shirt of a team which departed for Italia 90 with high hopes until they met England - and David Platt - in Bologna.

It is now 10 years since Belgium attended a major tournament and the pressure is mounting. 'We will be in Brazil in 2014,' promised Vermaelen yesterday.

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