13 hours ago
This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.
The plan
The caput coach, Rudi Garcia, is good alert that nan Red Devils’ spot lies successful attack. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku tin each make a quality successful their ain way. The defence is, isolated from for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, nan anemic constituent aft nan aureate procreation of Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Vermaelen and Jan Vertonghen gradually retired. “That is why I will ever take 4 defenders and not five,” Garcia explains. “With 5 defenders I person to sacrifice an attacking subordinate and that would beryllium a shame.”
Garcia usually opts for a mean artifact to support nan onslaught and not put excessively overmuch unit connected nan defenders. His reasoning could beryllium described arsenic flawed because location is simply a problem pinch Lukaku. He played only 64 minutes for Napoli this play and nary for nan nationalist squad because of injuries until coming disconnected nan chair successful Tuesday night’s 2-0 triumph against Croatia, scoring nan 2nd extremity successful added time. He was besides profoundly affected by nan decease of his father. Belgium’s each clip apical scorer – 90 goals – will truthful commencement nan World Cup without immoderate benignant of lucifer rhythm.
Belgium: Group G fixtures
Show15 June v Egypt, Seattle (noon local, 8pm BST, 16 June 5am AEST)
21 June v Iran, Los Angeles (noon local, 8pm BST, 22 June 5am AEST)
26 June v New Zealand, Vancouver (8pm local, 27 June 4am BST, 27 June noon AEST)
Qualifying went smoothly against Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. Despite going undefeated, nan level of play was not precocious and location were 3 draws, 2 against North Macedonia and 1 successful Kazakhstan. With 29 goals successful 8 games, Belgium underlined wherever their strengths lay. It’s clear location will beryllium plentifulness of attraction connected Doku successful onslaught and Courtois to forestall goals astatine nan different end.
Garcia has been successful complaint since January 2025 and said astatine his unveiling: “I americium fresh to return connected nan challenge. It will return clip to learn, moreover though we don’t person overmuch of it. It’s not astir trying, it’s astir doing, that’s my motto.” Hard activity is key, according to nan Frenchman. “We must attraction connected nan mindset. We must deterioration nan jersey pinch pride, and springiness everything for nan nationalist team.”
The coach
Rudi Garcia is simply a nationalist coach for nan first clip successful his profession and truthful will beryllium making his World Cup debut successful North America. The 62-year-old succeeded Domenico Tedesco successful January 2025 and has plentifulness of experience, having been successful complaint astatine Lille, Roma, Marseille, Lyon, Al Nassr and Napoli among others. The Frenchman is aged school, rejecting data-led analysis, and has restored a affirmative ambiance to nan nationalist squad. “What matters to maine is that location is simply a squad connected nan field,” he says. “My acquisition shows that you get nan furthest that way.”
Star player
Jérémy Doku is nan astir celebrated subordinate successful nan squad. The 24-year-old Manchester City attacker is still making elephantine steps successful his development. Having relied solely connected his awesome speed, he has developed his crossing expertise of precocious and scored immoderate important goals successful nan closing stages of nan Premier League season. “I cognize my qualities and cognize that I person to activity connected my statistics,” he said. “But I’m not location yet.”
One to watch
Matias Fernandez-Pardo was not successful Garcia’s plans until early May. The 21-year-old Lille striker, who holds Spanish and Belgian passports, had declared he would take Spain. When nan Belgian FA sounded him retired again owed to nan doubts surrounding Lukaku and nan diminution of Loïs Openda astatine Juventus, he changed his mind. His speed, dribbling skills and opportunism person earned him a slot successful nan World Cup squad. Fernandez-Pardo near Gent successful August 2024 arsenic a winger, but nan Lille coach Bruno Génésio has deployed him arsenic a striker, starring to 8 goals and 5 assists successful 29 convention games successful 2025-26.
Unsung hero
Maxim De Cuyper nan 25-year-old Brighton left-back, is of awesome worth to nan Red Devils pinch his attacking contributions and, successful nan absence of Lukaku, has developed into a regular goalscorer for nan nationalist team. Under Garcia, he has started each lucifer erstwhile fit. He will apt clasp that position during nan World Cup contempt his position arsenic a substitute each excessively often astatine Brighton.
Probable starting XI
What to expect from fans astatine games?
Belgian fans emotion having nosy and a fewer beers earlier entering nan stadium. However, location are not galore chants because Dutch, French and a small German are spoken successful Belgium, nan linguistic operation making it difficult to coordinate nan songs. As a compromise, they simply singing successful English, if location is immoderate singing astatine all.
Relationship pinch nan US/Trump?
Just arsenic successful astir different EU countries, location is scepticism astir Donald Trump, and surely astir his mode of expression. He erstwhile called Molenbeek, a suburb of Brussels, a “hellhole,” and that did not spell down well. The Belgian FA is improbable to opportunity thing publically and while fans person complained astir precocious prices location has not been immoderate talk of a boycott.
Written by Ludo Vandewalle for Het Nieuwsblad
