Following a rest day, Belgium returned to action for their third game of the tournament on Thursday, January 26, facing Bosnia and Herzegovina. Belgium delivered a dominant performance and earned their first victory of the tournament with an emphatic 11–1 win. The result was an important breakthrough after two earlier overtime losses against Bulgaria and Turkey.
Friday brought a second rest day, making the final stretch of the tournament crucial if Belgium wanted to return home with a result. On Saturday, Belgium faced Thailand in the penultimate game of the competition. Belgium continued their momentum with another strong win, scoring seven times to secure a 7–3 victory.
The final day on Sunday was set to be decisive in the race for a medal. Belgium arguably played their best game of the tournament, once again finishing regulation time level. That point was the minimum Belgium needed to stay ahead of Turkey in the standings and secure third place overall. Belgium eventually lost the game in overtime, but the final outcome still confirmed a bronze medal finish for Team Belgium.
Looking back on the full campaign, Belgium entered the tournament with a roster that looked very strong on paper, but the team did not fully meet expectations across all games. At the same time, the preparation showed clear progress compared to previous years. Belgium started their U20 campaign early in the summer with a Four Nations tournament in the Netherlands, followed by multiple practices and preparation games before departure. Despite several players being active abroad, the group was largely complete during the preparation phase.
Most Belgian players in the squad compete in Belgium’s top leagues, including the CEHL, while a handful play abroad. An important element of this tournament was the young profile of the selected roster. Only four players will leave the U20 group after this season due to age, meaning the majority of the team remains eligible to return next year. In addition, several players from this group may also join Belgium’s U18 national team in the coming months for their World Championship campaign.
Overall, the tournament did not unfold exactly as the team had hoped, but Belgium still returns with a medal and a strong foundation for the future.