Even though Romelu Lukaku has been an outstanding servant for Belgium, the truth is that he is no longer the lethal striker he once was. For that reason, manager Rudi Garcia has decided to bench him in favor of a younger option in attack as Charles De Ketelaere, so it is purely a tactical decision.

Lukaku is completely healthy and even scored against the USA in the Round of 16, even mocking the USMNT during his goal celebration. However, he is now regarded as a luxury super-sub off the bench rather than an undisputed starter.

Belgium is not the favorite against Spain

Spain is one of only eight nations to have ever won the World Cup. La Roja entered the tournament as a true contender, and while its debut was a bit rocky, the 2010 champions are now widely regarded as one of the absolute favorites to secure the title.

On the other side is Belgium (whose FIFA ranking has been updated), a team that has historically struggled to dominate on the world stage. While their “Golden Generation” is slowly fading away, the Red Devils are proving that the dark horse label suits them perfectly, and they look entirely comfortable playing without the weight of expectation.

Belgium will also be missing other notable stars from the starting lineup, including Dodi Lukebakio. Nevertheless, Garcia’s squad hopes to shock the world today, advance to the semifinals, and set up a blockbuster clash against a powerful French side.

Veteran striker Romelu Lukaku leads the attacking charge for Napoli in Italy. He shares the international spotlight with stellar midfielder Youri Tielemans, who controls the pitch for Aston Villa. This elite pair provides the national squad with invaluable top-tier experience.

In the English Premier League, winger Jeremy Doku brings explosive pace to Manchester City. His international teammate Leandro Trossard provides similar attacking danger for north London giant Arsenal.

Which league dominates the squad?

The English Premier League stands out as the ultimate home for this group of athletes. A total of eight squad members currently ply their trade in that demanding top flight. This massive concentration makes England the undisputed capital for Belgium’s soccer core.

From historic giants like Manchester United to rising forces like Aston Villa, English soccer dominates the list. This heavy presence in a single country creates an organic familiarity among these selected competitors.

Does the overseas journey drive excellence?

Leaving the Belgian domestic league clearly accelerates a player’s tactical and physical development. Facing world-class opposition every single week forces a professional to adapt to a much quicker tempo. This constant exposure to elite pressure turns a young prospect into a seasoned asset.

Competing in a foreign environment also builds immense mental resilience and cultural adaptability. A soccer player who masters La Liga or Serie A brings a sophisticated tactical mindset back home. Ultimately, this migration gives the national team a massive competitive edge on the global stage.

Just like Belgium’s head coach had decided in the last couple of games, Lukaku will serve as a substitute for the Red Devils against the USMNT in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The decision is entirely tactical, with Charles De Ketelaere playing at the No. 9 position, instead.

However, there’s also a medical layer to the reason for why Lukaku isn’t Belgium’s starting striker. Dealing with a hamstring injury, Lukaku played in only seven games during the 2025-26 season and were mostly coming off the bench. Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer is still not at 100 percent. In other eyebrow-raising calls, Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne won’t be starting for Belgium against the USA, either.

Belgium don’t trust Lukaku to play full game

Even though Lukaku is cleared to play, Garcia and the national team’s medical staff aren’t confident in having him play the full 90—and possibly 120—minutes. That is another reason why Lukaku is mostly used as a substitute by Belgium. If Lukaku can only play a certain number of minutes, Belgium would rather have him play in the later stages of the game than the early ones.

“[Lukaku] has recovered, but he’s out of shape, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to start the matches. But he’s our best striker, Belgium’s all-time leading scorer,” Garcia said about Lukaku’s health before the 2026 World Cup, via BBC.

Garcia went as far as to admit Lukaku is the best striker on the 26-man roster. That could make the decision to start De Ketelaere over him look even worse, but the Belgium national team head coach explained that Lukaku’s relegation to the bench is mainly due to his health, not his skill or pedigree, both of which are impossible to overlook. Belgium could also have an impact player in Doku, who isn’t starting today in another tactical decision by Garcia.

Lukaku’s stats at 2026 World Cup

So far at the 2026 World Cup, Lukaku has started only one game (a 0-0 draw against Iran), but he has come off the bench in every other match. Belgium have had success with this formula so far, and so has Lukaku, who has scored two goals, both after coming off the bench. Therefore, as long as Lukaku and Garcia are on the same page, it may be a winning recipe. So far, so good..

Lukaku hasn’t shown any discontent with the coaching decision, and he has repaid Garcia’s faith with goals or assists almost every time he has entered the game. Against the United States, it likely won’t be any different, with Lukaku expected to come off the bench at some point. Whether it’s sooner or later will hinge on how the Red Devils fare against the Stars and Stripes.

Needless to say, Belgium will hope they don’t find themselves in need of another miraculous comeback like the one they pulled off against Senegal in the Round of 32.

Although surprising to many, Garcia has opted for other options at the striker position over Lukaku in the 2026 World Cup before. For instance, Lukaku was used as a substitute and came off the bench during Belgium’s 1-1 draw against Egypt and 5-1 victory over New Zealand in the group stage. Thus, Garcia may believe that tactical decision has paid off for him and the national team.

Lukaku’s lone start in this year’s World Cup so far came against Iran, in a game that ended in a goalless draw. Thus, the numbers don’t lie, and as ironic as it sounds, Belgium do better scoring when one of their best strikers comes off the bench. Belgium’s declining FIFA ranking might disagree with that statement, however.

Lukaku’s appearances in 2026 World Cup

While Lukaku has rarely served as a starter for Garcia and Belgium at the 2026 World Cup, he’s appeared in every game. He might play more or fewer minutes, but he is always subbed in at some point in the game.

Lukaku’s role as a substitute against Senegal raises even more questions considering the striker scored a goal and assisted another less than 10 minutes after coming on during Belgium’s last group-stage outing against the All Whites.

Depending on how the game against Senegal goes for the Red Devils, Lukaku might be thrown into the action earlier. Whether it comes with perfect timing or when it’s already too late for Belgium, that’s a different story. Senegal also benched a renowned striker as Nicolas Jackson isn’t starting today.

Who will play in Lukaku’s place?

While there is no other forward on Belgium’s 2026 World Cup roster who has Lukaku’s build or main characteristics, there is someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him. That’s Charles De Ketelaere, who stands at 6’3”.

Thanks to his height, De Ketelaere is a fitting replacement for Lukaku, and he will be in charge of leading Belgium’s attack, with Leandro Trossard and Jeremy Doku joining him on the wings.

Instead, Belgium are starting Charles De Ketelaere with Jeremy Doku returning to the lineup after missing the Iran fixture, while Leandro Trossard is once again starting as the other winger.

What happens against New Zealand tonight will determine Belgium’s future in the tournament, as the team aims to avoid another World Cup disappointment after Qatar 2022.

Lukaku’s 2026 World Cup games with Belgium

Lukaku didn’t start for Belgium against Egypt but made an impactful appearance in the second half, putting pressure on the opponents as his side was trailing 1-0. Shortly after he came off the bench, Belgium found the equalizer that sealed the 1-1 draw.

The former Chelsea striker then started against Iran but couldn’t find the net, with Belgium settling for a goalless draw that forces them to get a positive result against New Zealand in Vancouver tonight.

Keeping Lukaku on the bench for this match is a decision that is, at the very least, intriguing. The prolific striker is Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer, having scored 90 goals in 126 appearances.

Rudi Garcia’s attack combines experience, talent, and youth. Kevin De Bruyne will serve as the main playmaker, supported on the flanks by Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard.

On the other side stands Egypt. The Pharaohs, currently ranked 30th in the FIFA World Rankings, are an African powerhouse that arrived in the USA, Mexico, and Canada with Mohamed Salah as their main figurehead in their pursuit of success.

Group G kicks off with this compelling matchup between two teams aiming to establish themselves as contenders. Belgium, despite not relying on foreign-born players, has plenty of reasons to believe it can make a strong impact in the tournament.

What awaits Belgium beyond Egypt in the 2026 World Cup

Following their initial encounter with Egypt, Belgium will navigate the remainder of their Group G fixtures in the United States and Canada. The Red Devils will first cross paths with Iran on Sunday, June 21, 2026, playing at the Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood, California.

Rudi Garcia’s squad will then conclude their group stage campaign on Friday, June 26, 2026, when they travel north to face New Zealand at the BC Place stadium in Vancouver, Canada.

Lukaku remains sidelined after suffering a left rectus femoris thigh injury in a preseason friendly against Olympiacos. According to team reports, the Belgian forward is expected to miss three to four months, ruling him out of Napoli’s key fixtures in both Europe and Serie A.

“Following the injury against Olympiacos, Romelu Lukaku underwent tests at Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a serious injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his left thigh,” Napoli confirmed in a medical statement released in late August.

With their main striker unavailable, Napoli moved quickly in the transfer market, securing Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund on loan to strengthen their attack.

Despite Lukaku’s absence, the Serie A club have won four of their first five league matches and will now push for their first Champions League victory of the campaign against Sporting CP.

Confirmed lineup for Napoli

In addition to Romelu Lukaku’s absence, Antonio Conte will also be without captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who is suspended after being sent off in the loss to Manchester City.

Napoli’s confirmed starting XI for the clash with Sporting CP is: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Leonardo Spinazzola, Juan Jesus, Sam Beukema, Miguel Gutierrez; Stanislav Lobotka; Matteo Politano, Frank Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay; Rasmus Hojlund.

Confirmed lineup for Sporting CP

On the Sporting CP side, manager Rui Borges has no absences for this match. As a result, he will field his strongest lineup as the Portuguese club looks for a second straight victory after defeating Kairat 4-1 in their group-stage opener.

Sporting CP’s confirmed starting XI is: Rui Silva; Ivan Fresneda, Eduardo Quaresma, Goncalo Inacio, Maximiliano Araujo; Morten Hjulmand, Joao Simoes; Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincao, Geovany Quenda; Fotis Ioannidis.

One of those players who seems to not have a place left at Chelsea and is under contract is Romelu Lukaku, who is signed until June 2026. Last season, the 31-year-old striker was on loan at Roma, where he scored 21 goals in 47 games. Before that, he was with Inter Milan, where he scored 14 goals in 37 games, winning two titles.

Up next for Romelu Lukaku is a third Italian club. According to Fabrizio Romano, Napoli is looking to sign the striker for the upcoming season.

Romelu Lukaku to Napoli?

According to Romano, talks between the clubs are set to take place on August 24th, Saturday, to push the deal over the finish line. A sale of Romelu Lukaku would help Chelsea begin its long process of shortening their squad.

Romelu Lukaku played at Chelsea in two different stints, neither of which yielded much success, as the striker has 15 goals in 59 games.

Chelsea began their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, while Napoli suffered a shock loss to Hellas Verona, 3-0, to open their Serie A season.

Romelu Lukaku has turned down going to the Saudi Pro League twice, but that does not mean the former Inter Milan striker won’t go one day. Lukaku spoke to Belgian outlet HLN and gave his viewpoint on the SPL.

Lately a lot has been made of a mass exodus from Saudi Arabia, with Jordan Henderson leaving for Ajax and reports that Karim Benzema also wants out of his deal with Al-Ittihad.

Romelu Lukaku on Saudi Pro League

When asked about his view on the Saudi Pro League, “For me personally I think in the next two years it will be one of the best leagues in the world if not the best”.

Lukaku reportedly turned down a $57 million-per-year offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal last summer.

Saudi Pro League exodus

While the SPL is marching on as business as usual, Jordan Henderson was the first to end his contract. Now with most clubs starting new in 2024 there are talks of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic reportedly wanting to return to Lazio, Roberto Firmino is said to be frustrated at current club Al-Ahli, and Benzema may return to European football.

The Italian Cup derby was one of the most heated games of the season, with both teams getting punishments for their fans and players’ behavior. Apart from racially abusing Lukaku with racist chants every time he touched the ball, Lazio fans hit Roma’s Edoardo Bove with a beer bottle as they also threw flares onto the field and into the Roma fans sector.

That cost Lazio a suspended $55,000 fine, whereas Roma were hit with a $16,500 fine as they fans threw things back to the opposing team’s supporters. And the chaos also occured on the field, even after the final whistle.

Heated Lazio-Roma derby sees three red cards, monetary fines

The fact that three players saw the red card should be enough to explain how heated this clash was. The derby got heated by the end of the game, with Maurizio Sarri’s team heading towards a 1-0 win thanks to Mattia Zaccagni’s penalty after 51′.

Lazio winger Pedro was the first to be sent off after six minutes of stoppage time, having seen a yellow card only a minute earlier. But there was room for more red cards. 10 minutes into added time, Sardar Azmoun left Roma down to 10 men as he slapped Nicolo Rovella on the back of the head.

The referee blew the final whistle, but that didn’t prevent Gianluca Mancini from seeing the red card as well. The Roma defender has allegedly insulted the official, telling his teammates not to shake hands with him, before waiting outside the referee’s dressing room to continue with his rant.

Mancini was handed a three-match ban as well as a $11,000 fine; whereas Azmoun was given a two-game suspension, with Pedro getting a one-game ban. The Roma players will serve the suspension in the next Coppa Italia, while the Lazio winger will miss the first leg of the semifinals against Juventus.

All this stems from news that Lukaku has no interest in returning to Inter Milan and knowing he has no place at Chelsea the former Everton star wants a move to Juventus.

Juventus, who may need a striker to replace Dušan Vlahović, who has offers from many clubs including Inter Milan, the Old Lady supporters were not too thrilled at the prospects of Lukaku signings with the Serie A giants.

Juventus ultras show brutal sign towards Romelu Lukaku

On Twitter an image surfaced where fans held a makeshift sign that stated, “Lukaku stay in Milano. We already have a second goalkeeper” and on Instagram the ultras doubled down with “Here you will never be welcome”.

Lukaku had a decent season for Inter Milan as they fell in the UEFA Champions League final, the Belgian scored 14 goals in 37 games while on loan last season.