Belgium
Belgium head into the 2026 World Cup as a familiar heavyweight with a new‑look edge: still led by Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, but increasingly powered by a younger generation that stormed through UEFA Group J to qualify as group winners. Under Domenico Tedesco, they remain one of Europe’s most talented squads, yet still carry questions about whether they can finally turn potential into a deep World Cup run after another frustrating European Championship.
From Group J to North America
Belgium were drawn into UEFA Group J with Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein, a five‑team section they were widely expected to dominate. They did not disappoint: across eight matches, Belgium finished top with 5 wins, 3 draws and 0 defeats, scoring 29 goals and conceding just 7 for a +22 goal difference. That return comfortably secured first place and an automatic ticket to the 2026 finals, with Wales taking the play‑off route as runners‑up.
Home form was ruthless. Belgium thrashed Kazakhstan 6–0 in Brussels and hammered Liechtenstein 7–0, with a Jeremy Doku brace and a Charles De Ketelaere double among the highlights. They also produced a wild 4–3 home win over Wales, showing both their attacking firepower and occasional defensive looseness. Away from home, they were more controlled but still effective, earning draws in Wales and Kazakhstan and key wins in North Macedonia and Liechtenstein to keep Group J firmly under their control. By November 2025, their place in North America was mathematically secure, confirming yet another World Cup appearance for a nation that has qualified for every edition since 2002.
Lessons from Euro 2024
Belgium’s qualifying success came in the shadow of Euro 2024, where the Red Devils again fell short of expectations. Drawn in a group with Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, they were heavy favourites to finish top but ended up second after a shock opening defeat to Slovakia and a series of wasteful attacking displays. Romelu Lukaku had three goals ruled out by VAR in the group stage, symbolising a campaign in which Belgium created chances but struggled to convert them consistently.
In the Round of 16, they exited with a 1–0 defeat to France, decided by a late Jan Vertonghen own goal, after playing cautiously and failing to fully exploit the space behind France’s high line despite moments of threat from Doku and De Bruyne. Coach Domenico Tedesco, extended to 2026 before the tournament, admitted the Euro campaign reflected “a little bit of everything” going wrong—game management, risk‑taking in attack and the mental strain of knowing that conceding once could be fatal in such a tight group.
That disappointment feeds directly into the narrative for 2026: Belgium are no longer the world’s top‑ranked side with a golden‑generation aura, but a talented team that must prove it can handle big‑game pressure and turn dominance into goals when it matters.
Core players and changing hierarchy
Even as the golden generation ages, Belgium’s spine for 2026 remains formidable. Kevin De Bruyne, despite injury issues in recent seasons, has returned to club football “as good as ever” and remains the undisputed creator‑in‑chief, set to play in his sixth major tournament. Romelu Lukaku, already Belgium’s all‑time top scorer, remains central to Tedesco’s attacking plan; he smashed 14 goals in Euro 2024 qualifying and continues to be used as the reference point around which the attack is built.
At the back, veteran centre‑back Jan Vertonghen still offers experience and leadership, even as Belgium attempt to integrate younger defenders like Zeno Debast and Wout Faes. Thibaut Courtois’ situation is more complex: after missing much of a season through injury, his status around Euro 2024 was uncertain, but if fully fit, he remains one of the world’s elite goalkeepers and a huge asset.
The biggest shift is in the attacking support cast. With Eden Hazard retired and Dries Mertens and Michy Batshuayi no longer central, the burden has moved to a younger wave of forwards and wingers. Jeremy Doku brings explosive one‑on‑one dribbling from the left; Lois Openda offers pace and direct running in behind; and Charles De Ketelaere is emerging as either a second striker or central forward, touted in some projections as a possible long‑term successor to Lukaku in the number 9 role. On the right, Johan Bakayoko has also been highlighted as an exciting option, while midfield depth comes from Amadou Onana, Orel Mangala, Youri Tielemans, Arthur Vermeeren and others.
Belgium 2026 core
| Line | Key names (examples) |
|---|---|
| Defence | Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Wout Faes, Zeno Debast |
| Midfield | Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Orel Mangala, Youri Tielemans |
| Attack | Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku, Lois Openda, Charles De Ketelaere |
Tedesco’s tactical approach
Under Domenico Tedesco, Belgium’s tactical blueprint has evolved away from the three‑at‑the‑back system associated with Roberto Martínez towards a more conventional back four, with an emphasis on structured build‑up and defensive stability. Tedesco’s early tenure featured an impressive 14‑match unbeaten run and a focus on controlling games through midfield, while still looking to exploit Lukaku’s penalty‑box dominance.
In possession, Belgium often build with a settled back four and a double pivot—frequently pairing a ball‑winner like Onana or Mangala with a passer such as Tielemans or De Bruyne dropping deeper. The attacking shape then becomes a 4‑2‑3‑1 or 4‑3‑3, with Doku or another winger stretching one flank, a more hybrid forward (like De Ketelaere) or playmaker occupying half‑spaces, and Lukaku as the central target. The intent is to combine De Bruyne’s creativity with wide dribbling threats and quick combinations around the box.
Out of possession, Tedesco has prioritised better pressing structure and compactness between lines, leading to a more solid defensive record across qualifiers. However, Euro 2024 exposed ongoing issues: when opponents doubled up on the wingers and full‑backs did not overlap enough, Belgium became predictable and struggled to break down low blocks, leading to sterile dominance and a lack of clear chances. Balancing that cautious structure with the freedom and numbers needed in attack will be one of the biggest tactical questions heading into 2026.
Belgium’s 2026 World Cup outlook
On paper, Belgium remain one of the most talented squads at the tournament and will likely be seeded among the stronger sides after winning their qualifying group and maintaining a high global ranking. Bookmakers still list them among the extended core of contenders, though usually behind the very top favourites like France, Brazil and Argentina.
Their ceiling is clear: with a fit De Bruyne, a confident Lukaku and dynamic support from Doku, Openda and others, Belgium have the weapons to overwhelm most defences and control games against all but the very elite midfields. Their floor, however, is defined by the same issues that have haunted them for a decade—occasional defensive lapses, emotional fragility in tight knockout matches, and the risk that, if Lukaku is off‑form or heavily marked, the attack can become blunt.
Much may depend on how successfully Tedesco can refresh the hierarchy without losing the leadership of veterans. If younger defenders like Debast establish themselves, if one of Doku, Openda or De Ketelaere truly explodes on the world cup stage, and if De Bruyne can manage his fitness through the tournament, Belgium have a realistic path to at least the quarter‑finals and an outside shot at going further. If those variables break the other way, another early exit and a sense of “what might have been” would not be a surprise.
