Belgium
Domenico Tedesco took over Belgium in 2023 with an awkward task: keep winning while quietly dismantling the side that finished third in 2018. The defensive rebuild that began after Vincent Kompany's international retirement is still unfinished, and the round-of-16 loss to France at Euro 2024 only sharpened the doubts. Yet the attacking talent remains genuine. Kevin De Bruyne still sets the tempo, in what is almost certainly his final major tournament, with Jérémy Doku's directness and Charles De Ketelaere's late runs around him, and Romelu Lukaku, the country's all-time top scorer, leading the line. Belgium reach their 14th appearance in Group G alongside Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, a draw kind enough that finishing first is the expectation rather than the hope. Anything short of the quarter-finals would feel like a window closed too soon.
Standings · G
After matchday 3 of 3| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BEL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +4 | 5 |
| 2 | EGY | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 | IRN | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | NZL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -6 | 1 |