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Lukaku Benched: Belgium Starts De Ketelaere vs. Egypt
15 Jun
Summary
- Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's all-time top scorer, starts on the bench.
- Charles De Ketelaere, 25, is chosen as Belgium's lone striker.
- This marks Lukaku's first World Cup start since the 2022 third-place game.
Belgium has opted for Charles De Ketelaere over Romelu Lukaku to start as the lone striker in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match against Egypt. This decision comes as a surprise, given Lukaku's status as Belgium's all-time leading goalscorer.
De Ketelaere, aged 25, currently plays for Atalanta in Italy's Serie A. Standing at 6-foot-4, he is expected to serve as a primary target upfront for the Belgian team.
Romelu Lukaku, who has been a senior player for Belgium since 2010 with 126 appearances and 90 goals, has not started a World Cup match for the team since the 2022 third-place playoff. His current club is Napoli.
The selection of De Ketelaere places significant pressure on the young striker to perform in this crucial World Cup opener, with potential transfer interest looming if he delivers a strong performance.
