Due to FIFA’s decision to lift Folarin Balogun’s suspension, the matchup between Belgium and the United States has become one of the most heated battles of the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. While Belgium have learned Balogun will be starting for the USA today, they have made a shocking decision of their own. Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has decided to leave Romelu Lukaku out of the starting XI.
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.
Romelu Lukaku #9 of Belgium after scoring against Senegal.
“[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.
