Senne Lammens and Belgium's goalkeeper puzzle after the 2-0 win over Italy

At the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the decisive moment did not come from a goal. With Belgium leading 1-0, Italy pushed everyone forward. Senne Lammens, the 24-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper, made two saves in quick succession. He did not celebrate by hugging the ball. He stood up, shouted once, and clapped his gloves. The way he moved, stepped out of the goal and chose his position showed a keeper reasserting himself. The dressing room does not lie — every whisper becomes an echo. After the final whistle, the away dressing room was no longer discussing a World Cup mistake. People talked about the two saves, about the calmness of a player once called 'bungler'. The 2-0 win in Rome is a valuable result. For Belgium, it is more than that. The team is entering a transition cycle: new coach, new goalkeeper, and a big question about the future of the number one spot. The context was not simple. Mark van Bommel had just taken over as Belgium head coach. Thibaut Courtois, considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, chose to skip the UEFA Nations League matches. Lammens therefore got his chance. That chance did not come out of nowhere. Van Bommel had worked with Lammens at Royal Antwerp, where he learned his character, his positioning and his handling. For the head coach, this was a decision based on grounded trust. The Italy match was the first response. Lammens stood firm and made two decisive saves while his team was leading 1-0. The original article does not provide xG, save percentage or pass numbers, but television images showed a keeper reading situations well. One save blocked a shot inside the box. Another smothered the ball at the feet of an Italy forward. Those stops kept a clean sheet and gave Belgium time to score a second goal. The relationship between coach and goalkeeper matters. Van Bommel built a solid defensive style at Antwerp. Lammens is a product of that environment. When the head coach called him 'the long-term custodian of Belgium', the statement was aimed at the dressing room as much as the press. It sent a clear message: the number one role is being handed to a new generation. A player does not grow through tactics alone, but through dressing-room walls that keep secrets. Those walls helped Lammens grow from a young keeper into someone who could stand in front of the Rome crowd. But the story goes beyond technique. Lammens is careful with his words. He says he will always give his best whether he plays or not. That sentence shows diplomacy. He knows Courtois is still an icon, a goalkeeper tied to Belgium for many years. Courtois's absence is a personal choice, not an injury. The 'new hero' story is therefore fragile. If Courtois returns, the number one spot becomes a real puzzle. From my perspective, this 2-0 win is important but not decisive. Based on my experience following matches, transition teams often have a short period of excitement after a big result. What sustains them is consistency over many games, not a single victory. For Belgium, the match against France in Paris will be the real measure. Italy at home are a big opponent, but France have different squad depth and pressure. Lammens will face more shots from more positions, hostile atmosphere, and the cunning of Europe's top strikers. Read the source carefully before celebrating. The original report is credited to Flash Press Agency, a syndication service, and many details are presented sensationally. I have not seen xG, official save statistics, or confirmation from the federation. 'Bungler to boss' is a good headline, but football does not run on headlines. I once mispronounced a man's name and realized I had erased his identity. With Lammens, the opposite mistake is possible: giving him the 'future number one' label too early. Let the Paris performance speak. The biggest risk is not Lammens. It is the fragility of the media narrative. One error in Paris could reverse everything. Social media once called him 'bungler' after one mistake. Now they call him a hero after one match. The gap between those labels is thinner than it seems. In the dressing room, Lammens understands better than anyone that a win does not erase the past; it only buys time to prove the opposite. Van Bommel also faces quiet pressure. He invested trust in Lammens, going against the safe option of bringing Courtois back. If Lammens plays well against France, his decision is strengthened. If not, the question of why he left out a world-class keeper returns. That is why the Paris match is a test not only for Lammens, but also for the head coach, for the long-term approach, and for the patience of Belgium fans. One detail I liked most was not in the celebration. It was the way Lammens stood up after the second save, without raising his hands to the stands or posing. He turned, said a few words to the center-back, and returned to his position. That gesture says more than any statement. It shows a man focused on the match, not his own story. I believe that is a sign of a mature goalkeeper. Belgium need a new anchor. The golden generation is winding down, and people ask who will be the next pillar. A good goalkeeper can be the foundation. Lammens is showing the qualities: reflexes, reading, calmness. But those must be confirmed over time, over thirty matches, over high-pressure moments. The Italy win is only the first step. I remember a season when only the sound of a rolling ball remained in an empty stadium, telling us about our fears. Rome was not empty today, but fear was present. Lammens used his hands to push it back once. The question is whether he can do it again when Paris arrives, when the dressing-room noise grows louder, and when Courtois appears in the minds of fans. Trust is built by action, not by promises. Lammens has just laid the first brick.