Belgium — 2026 World Cup Squad

Start with the goalkeeper, because Belgium always does. Thibaut Courtois remains the safest set of hands at any World Cup, a Real Madrid wall who turns nervy nights into respectable ones almost by himself. The trouble is what stands in front of him. This is a squad that hung onto its heroes one tournament too long, and now arrives in North America asking whether loyalty can still win knockout games.

The answer mostly rests on Kevin De Bruyne. His switch to Napoli was meant to be a gentle wind-down, yet his passing still bends matches that should be drifting away. Romelu Lukaku joins him there too, and the pair's old understanding could be the difference in a tight group stage; alongside them, Amadou Onana of Aston Villa gives the engine room the muscle De Bruyne stopped providing years ago.

Out wide is where Belgium feels genuinely modern. Jérémy Doku, fresh from a livewire season at Manchester City, can unpick a packed defense on his own, while Arsenal's Leandro Trossard offers cooler, sharper finishing from the other flank. Brilliant in flashes, fragile over ninety minutes, this Belgium is a gamble worth watching.