Romelu Lukaku will head to a fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup after being included in Belgium’s final squad despite ongoing concerns surrounding his fitness.
The decision highlights just how important the veteran striker remains to the Belgian national team, even after a frustrating injury-hit campaign that has severely limited his playing time this season.
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia admitted that Lukaku is still far from peak condition following a lengthy hamstring injury that sidelined him for months.
The Napoli forward, who recently turned 33, has made only 7 substitute appearances this season, totaling just 69 minutes since returning from injury.
Despite those concerns, Garcia made it clear that Belgium could not afford to leave out one of its greatest football players.
“Romelu has recovered, but he’s out of shape, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to start the matches,” Garcia said.
“But he’s our best striker, Belgium’s all time leading scorer.”
Lukaku remains Belgium’s record scorer with an extraordinary 89 goals in 124 international appearances and has been one of the defining faces of the nation’s so-called “golden generation.”
Garcia explained that the coaching staff plans to carefully manage the striker’s recovery during the final weeks leading up to the tournament.
“We have five weeks to get him back to full fitness so that little by little he can help the team,” the coach added.
Belgium’s squad still contains several experienced stars who have represented the country across multiple major tournaments.
Alongside Lukaku are goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne, and veteran midfielder Axel Witsel.
The squad also features younger talent as Belgium attempts to balance experience with transition ahead of another major international campaign.
One notable addition is Matias Fernandez Pardo of Lille OSC, who recently committed his international future to Belgium.
Fernandez Pardo replaces Lois Openda, whose inconsistent club involvement reportedly affected his chances of selection.
Sporting defender Zeno Debast was also included despite suffering a recent injury scare during training.
Belgium will compete in Group G at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand.
With matches scheduled across the United States and Canada, Belgium will once again enter the tournament carrying both expectation and uncertainty.
Much of that attention will inevitably focus on Lukaku — a striker whose fitness may determine whether Belgium can finally turn years of promise into genuine World Cup success.
