Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMark GleesonFriday 15 May 2026 13:58 BSTFrance unveils 2026 World Cup squad with cinematic revealBelgium's coach Rudi Garcia has named his World Cup squad, taking a significant gamble by including star striker Romelu Lukaku despite him having played only an hour of competitive football this season due to a hamstring injury.Lukaku, the nation's leading scorer with 89 goals from 124 caps, has spent two months rehabilitating his injury and has made just seven substitute appearances for Napoli this season, scoring once in February.Promising 21-year-old attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille was also called up, having previously played for Belgium at junior level and recently committed his international future to the team after declining a Spanish under-20 call-up.The squad sees the timely return of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from injury, providing a boost, though there are new fitness concerns surrounding Sporting defender Zeno Debast, who was injured in training.Key figures such as Courtois, Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel are set to make their fourth successive World Cup appearance, with Belgium competing in Group G against Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.In fullRomelu Lukaku named in Belgium World Cup squad despite only playing an hour of football this seasonThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in