Vercauteren played 63 times with the Belgium national team. He was part of the squad that finished fourth at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and also featured in the 1982 World Cup and at UEFA Euro 1984. Though he made his national team debut on 16 November 1977 (a 3–0 defeat to Northern Ireland national football team), he was not selected for the Euro 1980, where Belgium finished runner-up to West Germany.