{"id":563935,"date":"2026-07-01T19:46:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T19:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/563935\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T19:46:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T19:46:19","slug":"belgium-vs-senegal-live-team-news-and-latest-updates-after-major-injury-blow-ahead-of-world-cup-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/563935\/","title":{"rendered":"Belgium vs Senegal LIVE: Team news and latest updates after major injury blow ahead of World Cup clash"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>A high-scoring affair?<\/p>\n

Belgium were pretty secure at the back in their three group games, but will face a tougher test tonight against an intelligent and potent Senegal forward line. Sadio Mane and co. have had a combined 47 shots in their last two outings \u2013 they aren\u2019t afraid to have a go…<\/p>\n

\"ThibautThibaut Courtois could have a busy night (Getty)<\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 20:40<\/p>\n

<\/a>What may be to come…<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve mentioned already that it will be the USA or Bosnia-Herzegovina next for the victor here, but it could be a tough path thereafter. This fixture is in the same quarter as Spain, Portugal and Croatia \u2013 a last eight meeting with one of the three European heavyweights could well be on the cards.<\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 20:30<\/p>\n

<\/a>An eventful year for Senegal<\/p>\n

Senegal have already had an eventful year, of course, with the nation walking off the pitch in the Afcon final, then winning it in extra time, then being stripped of the trophy and appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Let\u2019s hope for a smoother conclusion to this tournament…<\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 20:20<\/p>\n

<\/a>Senegal seeking more World Cup success<\/p>\n

Senegal\u2019s early years after gaining independence from France were spent without much success at all, with the nation only recently, really, emerging as a footballing force within Africa. It took until 2002 for the country to qualify for a first World Cup \u2013 and they immediately reached the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Pape Thiaw, now manager, was part of that squad that suffered a narrow defeat to Turkey on the golden goal rule \u2013 though actually missed the game having started the round of 16 clash beforehand.<\/p>\n

\"PapePape Thiaw featured at the 2002 World Cup (Getty)<\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 20:10<\/p>\n

<\/a>Belgium settled in Seattle<\/p>\n

Belgium have had the advantage of being settled in Seattle over the last few weeks, with Rudi Garcia\u2019s side remaining in their base camp city for both this game and the next round \u2013 if they get there. In a tournament where travel may become more and more of a talking point, that feels a possible advantage. <\/p>\n

\"BelgiumBelgium have been training at the Seattle Sounders\u2019 facility (Reuters)<\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 20:00<\/p>\n

<\/a>England through but who will follow<\/p>\n

England captain Harry Kane scored twice to secure a comeback victory against DR Congo and send the Three Lions into the last-16. <\/p>\n

They will take on Mexico this Sunday. <\/p>\n

In the other side of the draw, Belgium and Senegal are competing to see who will advance and potentially set up a clash with World Cup co-hosts USA. <\/p>\n

The United States fae Bosnia-Herzegovina tonight;<\/p>\n

Mike Jones1 July 2026 19:51<\/p>\n

<\/a>As you were…<\/p>\n

Belgium manager Rudi Garcia was keen to talk up the importance of his wider squad ahead of this game, insisting that his first XI mattered little with substitutions just as important. <\/p>\n

Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers had registered off the bench against New Zealand and will remain in those roles for this contest. <\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 19:43<\/p>\n

<\/a>Senegal team to face Belgium<\/p>\n

Senegal XI: Diaw; Jakobs, Diatta, Niakhate; I. Gueye, Ciss, Diarra, P. Gueye; Mane, Ndiaye, Sarr<\/p>\n

Mike Jones1 July 2026 19:37<\/p>\n

<\/a>Belgium line-up to face Senegal<\/p>\n

Belgium XI: Courtois; Theate, Mechele, De Cuyper, Castagne; De Bruyne, Tielemans, Vanaken; Trossard, Doku, De Ketelaere <\/p>\n

Mike Jones1 July 2026 19:35<\/p>\n

<\/a>Belgium vs Senegal<\/p>\n

Perhaps surprisingly, Belgium and Senegal have never previously met \u2013 it feels like the sort of friendly that should have happened once, surely? <\/p>\n

Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 19:30<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A high-scoring affair? Belgium were pretty secure at the back in their three group games, but will face…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":563936,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3],"tags":[240801,6055,240805,240806,9,10,4322,995,27125,18,238153,13,14,34476,34477,226491,240802,6,789,19,194883,17,11,12,15,16,194887,194886,5790,240803,240804,5,240800,432,4335,119,177982,79194,7,8,240799,215997],"class_list":["post-563935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-bc-place-stadium","tag-belgium","tag-belgium-national-soccer-team","tag-belgium-national-team","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-british-columbia","tag-canada","tag-color-image","tag-eire","tag-facial-expression","tag-featured-news","tag-featurednews","tag-fifa","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-group-g","tag-headlines","tag-horizontal","tag-ie","tag-international-team-soccer","tag-ireland","tag-latest-news","tag-latestnews","tag-main-news","tag-mainnews","tag-match-sport","tag-national-team","tag-new-zealand","tag-new-zealand-national-soccer-team","tag-new-zealand-national-team","tag-news","tag-number-1","tag-photography","tag-soccer","tag-sport","tag-stadium","tag-thibaut-courtois","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories","tag-vancouver-canada","tag-world-sports-championship"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=563935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563935\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/563936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=563935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=563935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=563935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}