BELGIUM bowed out of the World Cup today after falling short in a goalless draw with Croatia in their final group game at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Substitute Romelu Lukaku hit a post for Belgium in the second half, but they needed to win to progress, while the point was enough for Croatia, who finished second in Group F behind winners Morocco.

Belgium, number two in Fifa’s world rankings, had failed to impress in their opening two group games – a 1-0 win against Canada and a 2-0 defeat to Morocco – and their latest setback could signal the end of an era for Roberto Martinez’s “golden generation”.