Belgium named Kevin de Bruyne in its 26-man World Cup squad this week, with the Napoli midfielder included alongside Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel as the country prepares for a campaign in Group G.
The squad was released as Belgium turned its attention to Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, its three group opponents in matches that will be played in the United States and Canada. De Bruyne, listed in the squad as a midfielder for Napoli, remains one of the most experienced names in the group after a career that has carried him to the centre of Belgium’s tournament plans for years.
The sharper focus, though, falls on Lukaku. Rudi Garcia said the striker is “out of shape” after a disrupted run in 2025-26, when he has made only seven substitute appearances totaling 69 minutes, scored one goal and not played since 6 March. The Belgium coach said Lukaku has recovered but is not yet ready to start matches, even if he called him the team’s best striker and Belgium’s all-time leading scorer.
That matters because Lukaku, who turned 33 on Wednesday, still has the chance to play in a fourth successive World Cup. He has 89 goals in 124 caps for Belgium and has spent the past two months in the country recovering from a hamstring injury after his most recent international appearance came against Wales last June.
Belgium’s squad also includes experienced figures such as Courtois and Witsel, a reminder that Garcia is leaning on a seasoned core for a tournament played across North America. The coach said Belgium has five weeks to get Lukaku back to full fitness so that he can help the team little by little, a timeline that now frames the build-up more than the squad list itself.
For Belgium, the selection is a promise and a warning. De Bruyne is in, the veterans are still there and the road to the World Cup is set. Lukaku’s place is secure for now, but whether he arrives ready to start is the question that will shape the next five weeks.
