In the twilight of Belgian football, will the ‘Lukaku gamble’ turn out to be a godsend? > News

The final list of 26 players announced by Belgium national team coach Rudi Garcia was truly shocking. The most controversial point is by far the boarding of Romelu Lukaku, who played only 64 minutes for his team Napoli this season due to injuries and poor performance, and is currently rehabilitating due to a hip injury. Nevertheless, Coach Garcia showed strong trust in him, praising him as “the best and irreplaceable striker of all time in Belgium.” This can be seen as a game where everything is bet on his symbolism and experience, and his presence that can deliver a blow at a decisive moment, rather than his skills. The fact that Royce Offenda, who did not have a bad sense in practice due to Lukaku's selection, was excluded from the final list shows how thoroughly 'Lukaku-centric' this decision was.

Belgium's tactical core still centers on Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Jeremy Doku, who has emerged as the next-generation ace. In particular, Doku has proven his worth by showing off brilliant dribbling breakthroughs and sharp assists in recent international matches, and is evaluated as a key resource that will open new avenues for Belgium's attack. Belgium, who struggled with Salah's performance in the game against Egypt and tried to maintain the game's management until the end, now presented themselves with the task of balancing skill and spirit. Belgium has to play against difficult opponents such as Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G of this World Cup, and since none of them are easy to see, they have to put in all their effort from the beginning.

Belgian football's troubles stem from the frame of 'the last dance of the golden generation' that continued even before the roster was announced. As the leading figures of the past begin to age one by one, Belgium is facing a huge wave of generational change. The bold selection of promising player Matias Fernándezpardo suggests that Coach Garcia has not completely given up on the future, but the reality is that the team's central axis is still focused on veterans in their 30s. Some are pessimistic that Belgium may lose its former glory and be pushed aside by the challenging spirit of teams from the Middle East or other continents. However, due to the short-term nature of the World Cup, it is clear that the concentration shown by experienced veterans in crisis situations is a powerful weapon that young players cannot easily imitate.

Belgium's preparation for this World Cup is like a gamble on the edge. If Lukaku miraculously recovers to his best condition in the five weeks remaining until the first game of the World Cup, Coach Garcia's choice will be praised as a godsend, but if not, it will be difficult for the coach to avoid harsh criticism and responsibility for pushing the team into crisis. Internally, the team's biggest challenges are the recovery of injured players and the combination of organizational strength, while externally, the key is how to overcome the strong checks from group stage opponents. The eyes of soccer fans around the world are turning to North and Central America to see whether Belgium will be able to overturn its assessment of being on the verge of extinction and once again roar at the center of world soccer.