Only Courtois, De Bruyne, Meunier, Lukaku and 37-year-old Axel Witsel remain from the Belgium side that finished third in 2018.
But Wednesday’s comeback was evidence that the remnants of their golden generation could still play an important role this time.
Meunier provided the cross for Lukaku’s goal, while Courtois remains their number one.
And although De Bruyne was withdrawn after 58 minutes to his visible frustration, Belgium could still rely on the former Manchester City playmaker for creativity as they prepare for a last-16 meeting with co-hosts United States.
Lukaku, meanwhile, was not just the gamechanger but also the peacemaker as team-mates Tielemans and Trossard argued with each other during the hydration break in the second half.
“They are at each other’s throats and it’s boiling over, which is not a good look. Even the manager has come across too,” Dublin said.
Tielemans played down the incident after the game, saying: “Those are the emotions of the moment. We’re all winners. We all want to win. To do things right. To represent our country well, that’s all part of it. That’s part of football.
“Afterwards, there was no issue.”
They might be far from perfect, but Belgium and their old guard have shown they still possess the quality and resilience to deliver at this World Cup.