Colours: Red shirt, black shorts, black socks<\/p>\n
Nickname: The Red Devils<\/p>\n
World ranking: 9<\/p>\n
Ones to watch: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)<\/p>\n
Coach: Rudi Garcia<\/p>\n
Captain: Youri Tielemans<\/p>\n
Previous meetings: This will be the first time the two nations have played each other.<\/p>\n
Fun fact: Belgium are the only national team to top the Fifa rankings without having won a World Cup or continental trophy.<\/p>\n
World Cup schedule<\/p>\n
Belgium v Egypt, June 16, 7am, Lumen Field, Seattle<\/p>\n
Belgium v Iran, June 22, 7am, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
Belgium v New Zealand, June 27, 3pm, BC Place, Vancouver<\/p>\n
Belgium’s home and alternative strips for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Photos \/ Adidas<\/p>\n
Belgium World Cup squad<\/p>\n
Goalkeepers<\/p>\n
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg)<\/p>\n
Defenders<\/p>\n
Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club \u2060Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), \u200bArthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)<\/p>\n
Midfielders<\/p>\n
Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston \u200bVilla), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona)<\/p>\n
Forwards<\/p>\n
Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Luk\u00e9bakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Racing Strasbourg), Alexis \u200cSaelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)<\/p>\n
\u2018The objective is simply to finish top of the group\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThe concept of team spirit was important; we needed to stick with a squad that had performed well in the qualifiers, taking into account how the players complement each other and striking a balance between experience and youth,\u201d Belgium coach Rudi Garcia told a press conference when the squad was announced.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis squad is built around playing well and getting on well together. We need to distinguish between our objective and our ambition. Ambition knows no bounds; we all dream of going all the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe objective is simply to finish top of the group and progress from the group stage; we\u2019ll then see who we\u2019re drawn against in the next rounds. We\u2019re not favourites, but I prefer this underdog position, which doesn\u2019t stand in the way of ambition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Road to the World Cup<\/p>\n
Topped their group in Uefa qualifying with five wins and three draws from their eight games with an impressive goal difference of +22. <\/p>\n
History at the World Cup<\/p>\n
1930: Played 2, won 0, drew 0, lost 2 \u2013 Didn\u2019t advance to knockout round<\/p>\n
1934: Played 1, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 \u2013 Lost in straight knockout format<\/p>\n
1938: Played 1, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 \u2013 Lost in straight knockout format<\/p>\n
1954: Played 2, won 0, drew 0, lost 2 \u2013 Didn\u2019t advance to knockout round<\/p>\n
1970: Played 3, won 1, drew 0, lost 2 \u2013 Didn\u2019t advance to knockout round<\/p>\n
1982: Played 5, won 2, drew 1, lost 2 \u2013 Advanced to second group phase, didn\u2019t make knockout round<\/p>\n
1986: Played 7, won 3, drew 1, lost 3 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, finished fourth <\/p>\n
1990: Played 4, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, lost in second round<\/p>\n
1994: Played 4, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, lost in second round<\/p>\n
1998: Played 3, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 \u2013 Didn\u2019t advance to knockout round<\/p>\n
2002: Played 4, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, lost in second round<\/p>\n
2014: Played 5, won 4, drew 1, lost 1 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, lost in quarter-finals<\/p>\n
2018: Played 7, won 6, drew 0, lost 1 \u2013 Advanced to knockout stage, finished third<\/p>\n
2022: Played 3, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 \u2013 Didn\u2019t advance to knockout round<\/p>\n
Best result at the World Cup<\/p>\n
The 2-1 victory over Brazil at the 2018 World Cup booked Belgium a spot in the semi-finals for the second time where they fell to neighbours France 1-0. They then beat England 2-0 to secure third place.<\/p>\n
Formation<\/p>\n
4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.<\/p>\n
Famous Belgians<\/p>\n
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Audrey Hepburn, Herge, Eddy Merckx, Rene Magritte. A pretty eclectic mix right there. <\/p>\n
Do we like them?<\/p>\n
Chocolate, beer and In Bruges \u2013 what\u2019s not to like? On the pitch, De Bruyne may be entering added time of his football career but he was a delight to watch at Manchester City. <\/p>\n
Diplomatic communique<\/p>\n
Bart Brichau, Egypt\u2019s honorary consul in Auckland, told the Herald:<\/p>\n
\u201cMeet the Red Devils \u2014 Belgium, a small country of just 11 million people that punches well above its weight. They finished third at the 2018 World Cup, their best-ever result, beating Brazil along the way. Their squad boasts elite midfield creativity, led by Kevin De Bruyne\u2019s vision and Jeremy Doku\u2019s electric pace on the wing. Romelu Lukaku \u2013 Belgium\u2019s all-time top scorer by over 60 goals \u2013 leads the attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cThink of them as Europe\u2019s version of the All Blacks: consistent, technically gifted and always dangerous. The All Whites will need their very best to cause an upset in Vancouver.”<\/p>\n