The country’s top scorer has not started for Napoli this season, making just seven substitute appearances.
Published May 15, 2026
Belgium included striker Romelu Lukaku in their World Cup squad despite only playing an hour of games this season.
Lukaku, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Wednesday, has not started for Napoli this season, scoring as a seventh-inning substitute against Verona in February, and has spent the past two months in Belgium rehabbing after a hamstring injury.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
But his role as the country’s leading scorer has coach Rudy Garcia betting on his fitness for the tournament starting next month. Belgium are in Group G along with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.
Lukaku has scored 89 goals for Belgium, but the 4-3 home victory over Wales in a World Cup qualifier last June was the last of his 124 caps.
Garcia used promising attacker Matias Fernandes-Pardo as cover after committing his international future to the country earlier this week.
The 21-year-old, who was born in Brussels to Italian and Spanish parents, played at junior level for Belgium and has opted to play for Spain in 2024. However, he did not accept a call-up to the U-20 team after that. He had a good season with Lille and was chosen to replace Reus Openda, who has not played regularly for Juventus this season.
Sporting defender Zeno De Basto was also included in the squad despite reports that he may not recover in time after suffering an injury during training with the Portuguese club. De Basto has been a regular since Garcia took over as manager.
The timely return of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from injury is a bonus for the team, but speculation that Garcia will select four goalkeepers from his 26-man selection has proven to be false.
Garcia announced his squad during a Belgian television lunchtime news bulletin, and it will be the fourth consecutive World Cup for Courtois, Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel.
Belgium squad for the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lamence, Mike Penders.
Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno De Basto, Maxim de Kuiper, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechel, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Goy, Joaquín Seis, Arthur Teate.
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.
Forwards: Charles de Quetelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernández-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukabakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saeremachers, Leandro Trossard.
