Belgium's World Cup 2026 hopes dim after draws with Egypt and Iran

Belgium's national team struggled in the opening stage of the 2026 World Cup, drawing 0‑0 with Egypt and then failing to beat Iran. The two matches exposed a lack of creativity and attacking firepower, sparking criticism of veteran forward Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as coach Rudi Garcia.

Garcia made several lineup changes, including introducing Nicolas Raskin, Maxime De Cuyper and Alexis Saelemaekers, but Belgium could not find the net. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made key saves, while a red card was shown to defender Nathan Ngoy for a foul on Iran's Mehdī Taremī. The team now faces a must‑win against New Zealand to keep its tournament hopes alive, and a poor result could lead to Garcia's dismissal.

The campaign has intensified scrutiny of the squad’s senior leaders and raised doubts about Belgium's ability to progress beyond the group stage.