Belgium arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a roster that combines proven international performers and a new generation of talent eager to take the Red Devils to a new level. While the Belgians no longer build around the same golden generation that defined the past decade, several players remain capable of carrying Belgium deep into the tournament.
From elite creators and prolific scorers to rising stars poised for a breakout on the global stage, Belgium’s hopes in North America will rest heavily on a handful of players expected to drive the team’s success. These are the biggest stars on Belgium’s 2026 World Cup squad and why opponents fear them.
Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium’s Veteran Playmaker
GettyBelgium’s midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne.
At 34, Kevin De Bruyne arrives in North America as the undisputed creative center of Belgium’s attack. A decade-plus at Manchester City with six Premier League titles, a Champions League and 177 career assists gave way to a move to Napoli in June 2025, where he posted five goals and two assists across 18 Serie A appearances before a hamstring injury ended his year.
He returned in March 2026 showing no meaningful decline in passing range or tempo, according to FIFA.com. The midfielder carries 120 caps and 37 international goals into this tournament, the sixth-highest cap total in Belgian men’s history. Belgium coach Rudi José Garcia has positioned De Bruyne as the No. 10, responsible for unlocking defensive structures that no other player in the squad can crack. No one at this World Cup sees the game quite the way De Bruyne does.
Romelu Lukaku’s Goals Record and Role
GettyBelgium forward Romelu Lukaku.
Belgium’s all-time leading scorer arrived at his fourth World Cup with 90 international goals across 124 caps, a total that ranks Lukaku second among all European men’s scorers in international football history. The 33-year-old Napoli striker has appeared in seven major tournaments for Belgium and won two Serie A titles, one each at Inter Milan and Napoli.
Lukaku appeared in just seven substitute outings for Napoli across the entire 2025-26 club season, logging roughly an hour of competitive play and scoring once, at Verona in February, after a string of muscle injuries, creating some concern for Garcia, who selected him based on his experience rather than current form. That gamble showed its first return 23 seconds into Lukaku’s substitute appearance against Egypt on June 15, when his dominant physical presence directly created Belgium’s equalizer.
Jérémy Doku’s Speed and Impact for Belgium
GettyBelgium’s Jeremy Doku.
Jérémy Doku turned 24 only three weeks before the tournament opened and walked in as Belgium’s most electric attacking option. The Manchester City winger delivered eight goals and 12 assists across 47 appearances in all competitions this season, according to Goal.com, and took home a Carabao Cup and FA Cup with City along the way.
Former Belgium international Toby Alderweireld assessed Doku’s value.
“People are going to the stadium for him,” Alderweireld said, as quoted by Goal.com. “Doku is pure football.”
He developed at Anderlecht, refined his game at Rennes and earned a $74.6 million move to Manchester City in August 2023, where his acceleration and dribbling rank him among the most difficult wide players to contain in European football.
Egypt’s disciplined defensive block neutralized him in Belgium’s Group G opener, according to Fox Sports. The space and pace he needs never appeared. Against Iran and the knockout rounds, that changes — and Doku at full speed is Belgium’s sharpest edge.
Who Are the Best Players on Belgium’s 2026 World Cup Squad?