Belgium manager Rudi Garcia has included Romelu Lukaku in his World Cup squad even though he admitted the forward is not yet fully fit. The Napoli attacker recently turned 33 and has struggled for playing time during the 2025-26 season after recovering from a hamstring problem.
Lukaku has spent the past two months in Belgium working on his rehabilitation and has made only seven substitute appearances this season, playing a total of 69 minutes. Despite those limitations, Garcia still considers him the country’s leading attacking option ahead of the tournament.
The coach explained that Lukaku has recovered from injury but remains short of match fitness, making it unclear whether he will be ready to start games immediately. Garcia added that Belgium has five weeks to help the striker regain full condition before the competition begins.
Lukaku remains Belgium’s record scorer with 89 goals in 124 international appearances. His latest match for the national side came against Wales last June.
Veteran stars prepare for another World Cup campaign
If he features in the tournament, Lukaku will take part in a fourth consecutive World Cup. Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, and Axel Witsel are also in line to achieve the same milestone for Belgium.
Garcia’s squad combines experienced internationals with several younger options as Belgium prepares for the tournament in North America. The national team will face Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G, with matches scheduled in the United States and Canada.
The Belgian manager stressed the importance of gradually rebuilding Lukaku’s fitness during the preparation period. Even though the striker may not immediately be ready for a starting role, Garcia underlined his value because of his goal-scoring record and experience at the international level.
Lukaku previously played for Chelsea, Manchester United, and Everton before joining Napoli. Despite his limited action this season, Belgium have still chosen to rely on him heading into the World Cup.
Fernandez-Pardo earns call-up after switching allegiance
Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo has also been included in Belgium’s squad after confirming this week that he will represent the country internationally. The 21-year-old was born in Brussels to Italian and Spanish parents.
Fernandez-Pardo previously represented Belgium at the youth level before changing his sporting nationality to Spain in 2025, although he has never played a senior match for the Spanish national team. Belgium has now brought him back into their setup ahead of the World Cup.
The young attacker was selected instead of Lois Openda, who has struggled for regular playing time with Juventus this season. Meanwhile, Sporting defender Zeno Debast kept his place in the squad despite suffering an injury during training.
Belgium now turn their attention to final preparations for the tournament, with Garcia hoping his squad will be in peak condition by the time the group stage begins.