Romelu Lukaku Returns as Belgium Reveal FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad

Romelu Lukaku has been picked in Belgium’s 26-man World Cup squad, even though injuries have limited him to just five games for Napoli this season.

He remains Belgium’s highest goal scorer with 89 goals in 124 appearances, but he hasn’t played for the national team since June last year.

The 33-year-old is set for his fourth World Cup appearance. He will also be joined by Napoli teammate Kevin De Bruyne, who has missed part of the season due to a hamstring problem.

Speaking about Lukaku’s inclusion in Belgium’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, coach Rudi Garcia said he is unsure whether Lukaku will feature in the upcoming matches, but he still remains part of the team’s plans.

"Romelu has recovered, but he's out of shape, and I'm not sure he'll be able to start the matches. But he's our best striker, Belgium's all-time leading scorer," said Belgium coach Rudi Garcia.

Alongside Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium’s squad also features Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel under Rudi Garcia.

Garcia named his final squad on Friday, with the biggest surprise being the exclusion of Mika Godts. The 20-year-old Ajax winger has impressed this season with 17 goals and 12 assists.

He also selected Strasbourg’s Mike Penders as the third-choice goalkeeper, leaving out Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels.

Meanwhile, forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo has earned his first call-up for Belgium after an impressive season with Ligue 1 side Lille. Besides him, the 37-year-old Axel Witsel has also been named in the squad to add experience to a relatively young team.

"The concept of team spirit was important; we needed to stick with a squad that had performed well in the qualifiers, taking into account how the players complement each other and striking a balance between experience and youth," said Rudi Garcia.

"This squad is built around playing well and getting on well together. We need to distinguish between our objective and our ambition. Ambition knows no bounds; we all dream of going all the way.” added Rudi Garcia.

Belgium FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders.

Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim De Cuyper, Koni De Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate.

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.