Roberto Martinez believes Belgium need to "start the World Cup by showing we know how to win," as a first step to delivering on the potential everyone has long associated with the country's so-called "Golden Generation".
Lifting the trophy in Moscow on July 15th still seems a slightly distant prospect after the disappointment of Euro2016 but anything other than victory over Panama is almost unthinkable.
Both Martinez and Thibaut Courtois talked about the number of key players in this squad that are at or around the peak of their playing days and the sense that they all believe this may be a case of “now or never,” was fairly clear.
The collective talent of a group that includes quite a few of the Premier League's brightest stars in not in doubt and "World Cup winner" would hardly look out of place on the CVs of Courtois, Eden Hazard or Kevin De Bruyne.
But it is no great surprise that Martinez spent much of his pre-match press conference talking about the wider group’s belief in their own ability to achieve success together.
Belgium have shown themselves more than capable of winning big against poor to middling sides, they scored 43 goals in qualifying, but the reality is that the current team has never beaten really top-level opponents in a competitive game and they will probably have to do it three times here if they are to become World champions.
Four years ago, they coasted handily enough through an easy group, beat the United States in the second round then lost to Argentina, just about enough, it seemed given the lack of previous tournament, to establish them as serious contenders for Euro2016.
Having been beaten by Italy in their opening game in France, though, they won very winnable games against Ireland, Sweden and Hungary before running completely out of steam against Wales in the quarter-finals but were ultimately overwhelmed by a side that showed infinitely more hunger and spirit as they battled their way to a 3-1 win.
The defeat cost manager Marc Wilmots his job but there was some consternation when the federation decided Martinez was the man to bring the team to the next level, one that he had never previously been remotely close to himself as a player or a coach.
The 44-year-old is much more popular with the media than his predecessor but then he was always well liked by the British press pack, even when Everton’s fans were chasing him out the door.
Bad sign
Here, there will be just one chance to show that he is capable of doing much more than merely talking a good game. Beating Panama might tell us little enough about how Belgium will fare in the tournament’s latter stages but struggling to, or actually failing to beat them, would be a very bad sign indeed.
“I look to the players eyes and I can see that they are excited,” says Martinez.
“Now they will have the opportunity to show it. We have a lot of players who are at important times in their careers and they want to make their mark. But if we think that we are going to win by relying on one or two players then we are mistaken. We need every player. I am looking forward to a team performance if we want to fulfil our potential.”
Belgium have, he said, opted against replacing Vincent Kompany who goes into the tournament with a groin strain that, it is hoped, might clear up sufficiently to allow him to play in the potentially vital third group game, against England, or first knockout game which would be against a side from Group H (Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan).
Once again the road to the quarter-finals looks pretty open although at that stage possible opponents include Germany, Brazil, Spain or Portugal.
In Kompany’s place, Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata is set to start and the 27-year-old, who failed to establish himself at Manchester City before impressing in Scotland, should have a manageable enough time against a side with a decidedly defensive outlook that looks to hit their opponents on the break or grab chances from set-pieces.
The ability of Belgium's three-man defence, a Martinez innovation, to cope against the best attacks is one of most obvious doubts about the team but the one in Panama's 5-4-1 is Blas Perez, a 37 year-old striker who plays his club football in Guatemala and so it would be something of a shock if they are overly exposed here in Sochi.
Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez didn't do much to talk up the threat his side might pose at his press conference, effectively admitting that goals aren't really his side's thing. They are, he insisted however, defensively well-drilled.
“We’re not making it up,” he said. “We are not improvising. Every man is at his post. We have worked very hard at performing the roles.”
Now, he insists, they have to keep their heads when it matters.
“We have to have a hot body but a cool mind. The most important thing is to go back to Panama with our heads held high; proud of the work that we have done here.”
Keeping Belgium’s attack at bay would be a very good start.
