Over 9,000 people have already left a message for Red Devils manager Rudi Garcia via the website sorryrudi.be, which was set up in the aftermath of Belgium's dramatic win against Senegal in the World Cup.
The French manager had come under intense criticism for the Belgian national team's performances, with millions of Belgian football fans having lost faith in him, right up until the last minutes of the Round of 32 knock-out match against Senegal.
After Belgium completed a dramatic 3-2 comeback in extra time, many Red Devils fans are now feeling remorseful.
The website is a playful initiative of 29-year-old Brussels resident Luca Garcia (who, despite the last name, has no relation to the Belgian manager). When watching the game, his heart sank after Senegal's second goal on Wednesday evening, putting them 0-2 up.
"Just like many Belgians, I shouted 'Rudi out!' in the 85th minute at my television," Luca told The Brussels Times. "Not much later, I had to swallow my words. Afterwards, I felt like I had to apologise to the national team manager. Rudi turned out to be a tactical mastermind."
A bold statement, but one shared by many Belgians who watched the game. Posts and videos all over social media – by Belgians and other football fans alike – first criticised and later celebrated the manager's controversial substitutions during the game.
'Sorry, Rudi'
Almost at the end of the game, substitute Romelu Lukaku scored in the 86th minute, as did Youri Tielemans just a few minutes later in the 89th minute – overturning a 0-2 for Senegal in three frantic minutes.
Then, deep into the extra time, Tielemans scored a penalty kick, in what might have been the most dramatic turnaround Red Devils supporters have ever seen. Winning 3-2, Belgium made it to the next round of the World Cup.
Luca, who works at the Lucy advertising agency in Brussels, decided to set up a website where people who shared his sentiment towards the national team's manager can leave a message.
"A colleague who is good at coding and I built the website very quickly, as a joke, with the intention to send it to our friends who felt the same way after the game," Luca said. "And suddenly, we kept seeing the number of comments go up. It is all going really quickly."
His own message was short and to the point: "From Garcia to Garcia: sorry Rudi, I’ll never doubt you again."
Screenshot of the website.
The Belgian beer brand Tout Bien, marketed by influencer and YouTuber Average Rob, also got involved, and the website quickly gained traction. At the time of writing, over 9,000 people have already left a message for Rudi Garcia – ranging from heartfelt apologies to messages of thanks and plenty of jokes.
"As long as the messages are positive, everyone is welcome on the site," Luca said. "The main aim is for this to actually reach Rudi Garcia, so that he knows there are at least 9,000 Belgians who are fully behind him."
On Tuesday 7 July, the Red Devils will meet the United States in the round of 16. Should they win, they will face either Spain or Portugal in the Quarter-finals.
"If we win against the US, I reckon the website might well get a few thousand more comments," he said. "If we lose, we will keep an eye on the sort of comments that get posted to see whether the website can stay online for much longer."
"We will see what happens with the game first," Luca said. "I, for one, will not be doubting his choices any more, and I'd advise Rudi not to listen to the critics. Even if nobody understands what he’s doing, it works."
This article was updated at 14:45 to include comments by Luca Garcia.
Related News
- After the miracle in Seattle, can Belgium end the American Dream?
- Late-night joy in Brussels for Belgium's dramatic World Cup win (photos)
- 'Football is about emotions': Belgium's coach praises team in extra-time win
- Belgium stage stunning comeback to beat Senegal in dramatic victory
- How to talk to your Belgian friends and colleagues about the Tour de France
