Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has included veteran striker Romelu Lukaku in the country’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite admitting the forward is still struggling to regain full match fitness after a lengthy injury absence.
The decision has placed fresh attention on Belgium’s preparations for the tournament, with Garcia acknowledging that Lukaku may not yet be ready to start matches as the Red Devils attempt to balance experience with fitness concerns ahead of the competition in the United States and Canada.
Lukaku, who recently turned 33, endured a frustrating opening to the 2025–26 campaign after spending nearly two months sidelined with a hamstring injury at Italian champions Napoli. Since returning, the striker has made only seven substitute appearances, accumulating just 69 minutes of football.
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Despite those concerns, Garcia insisted the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Inter Milan forward remains central to Belgium’s plans because of his experience and unmatched international scoring record.
“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.”
The Belgian coach also revealed that the technical crew would use the weeks leading to the tournament to gradually rebuild the striker’s sharpness.
“We have five weeks to get him back to full fitness so that little by little he can help the team,” he added.
Lukaku heads into the tournament as Belgium’s record goalscorer with 89 goals in 124 appearances for the national side, underlining his status as one of the most influential players in the country’s football history.
The upcoming tournament is expected to be his fourth consecutive World Cup appearance, placing him among the senior core of players carrying Belgium’s fading “golden generation” into another major international competition.
The squad also includes experienced stars such as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, captain Kevin De Bruyne and midfielder Axel Witsel, all of whom are entering the latter stages of their international careers.
Garcia, appointed earlier this year following Belgium’s disappointing European Championship campaign, appears determined to blend established figures with emerging talent as the country attempts to avoid another underwhelming tournament outing.
Among the newer names in the squad is Lille winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who recently committed his international future to Belgium despite interest from Spain.
Fernandez-Pardo replaces Lois Openda, whose reduced club involvement reportedly affected his selection chances heading into the competition.
Sporting CP defender Zeno Debast has also retained his place despite concerns after suffering a training injury earlier this month.
Belgium have been drawn in Group G alongside Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, a group many analysts believe offers Garcia’s side a realistic pathway into the knockout rounds.
Still, questions remain over whether Belgium’s ageing core can finally deliver on years of expectation after repeated near misses at major tournaments. The Red Devils finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia but failed to build on that success in subsequent competitions, including disappointing exits at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
For Belgian supporters, Lukaku’s condition may ultimately shape how far the team progresses. Even with concerns over his fitness, the striker’s leadership, physical presence and proven scoring ability remain difficult to replace in a squad that still relies heavily on its experienced spine.
Attention will now shift to Belgium’s pre-tournament friendlies, where Garcia is expected to closely monitor Lukaku’s workload before deciding how prominently the striker will feature once the World Cup begins.
