Romelu Lukaku out of Belgium's UEFA Nations League squad
Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco has announced the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games. The selection features Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, despite concerns about his intense season with club and country. However, Romelu Lukaku is notably absent from the lineup following his recent transfer to Napoli from Chelsea. Here's more.
Tedesco emphasizes De Bruyne's crucial role
Tedesco has highlighted De Bruyne's crucial role in leading the transition to a younger team during the Nations League Group A2 matches, set for September to November. "Kevin is our captain and I think that around Kevin we can let grow these young players," the coach stated at a press conference. This statement underscores De Bruyne's pivotal position within the team.
Lukaku's absence and future prospects
Lukaku, who recently joined Napoli, has requested time off to focus on his fitness. Lukaku was training away from Chelsea's regular team and is short of game time. Coach Tedesco anticipates his return to the team later this year. Tedesco also left out seasoned players Yannick Carrasco, Leandro Trossard, and Axel Witsel to bring in emerging talents, but noted that these regulars could still be recalled in the future.
New faces and retirements in Belgium's squad
In a major development, Borussia Dortmund's 18-year-old Julien Duranville has earned his first national team call-up. Meanwhile, veteran central defender Jan Vertonghen has retired from international football, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated his desire not to be included under Tedesco. These changes mark a new era for the Belgian national team as they prepare for their upcoming matches.
Belgium's upcoming Nations League campaign
Belgium will begin their UEFA Nations League campaign against Israel on September 6. They are placed in the group alongside France, Italy and Israel. Originally scheduled for Brussels, the match has been moved to Debrecen, Hungary, due to security concerns. Three days later, Belgium will take on France in Lyon. This marks the beginning of a challenging journey for the team as they navigate through these high-stakes matches without some of their seasoned players.
Belgium and De Bruyne's 2023-24 season
The Belgium national team has played a total of 18 international matches including international friendlies, UEFA European Championship qualifying round matches, and the UEFA European Championship. The team has won 12 matches lost two and drew four matches. Both of their losses came in the UEFA European Championship with the team bowing out in the Round of 16 after their defeat against France. Meanwhile, De Bruyne has featured in just six matches, netting two goals.
Belgium squad: Goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest). Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni De Winter (Genoa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt). Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Julien Duranville (Borussia Dortmund), Arne Engels (FC Augsburg), Orel Mangala (Olympique Lyonnais), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arthur Vermeeren (RB Leipzig).
Here are the forwards of Belgium
Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig).
