SHOWS: ZAVENTEM, BELGIUM (JUNE 13, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

BELGIUM NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM'S MASCOT 'RED' ON TARMAC 2.

AIRCRAFT WITH RED DEVILS DESIGN 3.

CREW STAFF MEMBER WAVING FROM PILOT CABIN 4.

TEAM'S BUS ARRIVING ON TARMAC 5.

MIDFIELDER MAROUANE FELLAINI WALKING ON TARMAC 6.

GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS 7.

THORGAN HAZARD 8.

DEFENDER VINCENT KOMPANY JOINING FELLAINI, TEAM CAPTAIN EDEN HAZARD STANDING NEXT TO THEM 9.

VARIOUS OF TEAM MEMBERS STANDING ON TARMAC 10.

STRIKER ROMELU LUKAKU, GOALKEEPER KOEN CASTEELS AND MIDFIELDER MOUSSA DEMBELE 11.

FORWARD MICHY BATSHUAYI, MIDFIELDERS KEVIN DE BRUYNE AND NACER CHADLI AND DEFENDER THOMAS VERMAELEN POSING FOR PHOTOS 12.

FELLAINI, KOMPANY, EDEN HAZARD, GOALKEEPER SIMON MIGNOLET AND MIDFIELDER YOURI TIELEMANS POSING FOR PHOTOS 13.

TEAM MEMBERS WALKING TOWARDS PLANE STAIRS AS CREW STAFF MEMBERS APPLAUD 14.

TEAM MASCOT AND CREW STAFF MEMBERS 15.

VARIOUS OF TEAM MEMBERS BOARDING PLANE 16.

BATSHUAYI AND FELLOW TEAM MEMBERS TAKING A SELFIE PHOTO 17.

TEAM MASCOT WAVING 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRUSSELS AIRLINES PILOT, ALEXANDRE ANNEGARN, SAYING: "Of course very excited, it's an honour to fly our special aircraft with of course our Belgium team, it's a real honour, I'm very excited." 19.

AIRCRAFT TAKING-OFF STORY: Belgium's national soccer team took off from Brussels airport on Wednesday (June 13) for Moscow, where the Red Devils will make their 2018 World Cup debut in Sochi on Monday against fellow group G member Panama.

The team boarded the 'Trident', a Brussels Airlines aircraft painted in the colours of the national team.

The airline company said that the players would be treated with a special menu with prawns, a choice between a chicken or salmon meal, and a "speculaaspasta", a typical Belgian caramelized biscuit spread.

The aircraft was also carrying 90 footballs, 1,300 football shirts and 150 paris of football shoes, the company said.

If Defender Vincent Kompany boarded the plane dressed in Belgium's national colours with his 23 team mates, the 32-year-old is not yet assured to hit the ball after he injured his groin during a goalless draw with Portugal on June 2.

Despite his absence, Belgium hit a resounding 4-1 victory over Costa Rica during a preparatory match on Monday (June 11).

Belgium, which has appeared in 12 World Cups, is currently the world's third best team according to FIFA rankings.