The Japan Times - 'Out of shape' Lukaku named in Belgium World Cup squad

Lukaku, who has scored 89 goals in 124 international appearances, has struggled for form and fitness at Serie A club Napoli this season.

The 33-year-old former Inter Milan and Chelsea forward has only played 69 minutes of first-team football in 2026 and is currently sidelined by a hip injury.

"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," Frenchman Garcia told reporters.

"We have five weeks to get him back to full fitness so that little by little he can help the team."

Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo was given a maiden call-up after opting to switch nationality, having previously played for Spain's Under-21s.

Lois Openda, who has played 33 times for Belgium, is a notable absentee after scoring just once in 24 Serie A appearances this season on loan at Juventus from RB Leipzig.

There are few other surprises in Garcia's 26-man squad, with Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Jeremy Doku all included.

Belgium kick off their World Cup campaign against Egypt in Seattle on June 15, before taking on Iran and New Zealand in Group G in Los Angeles and Vancouver respectively.

The Red Devils crashed out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage, plagued by infighting as the 'golden generation' failed miserably in their final bid for a major title.

They were knocked out of Euro 2024 in the last 16 by France after scraping through the group phase.

Former Napoli, Roma and Marseille boss Garcia was named coach in January 2025 after the sacking of Domenico Tedesco.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid/ESP), Senne Lammens (Manchester United/ENG), Mike Penders (Chelsea/ENG)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham/ENG), Zeno Debast (Sporting/POR), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton/ENG), Koni De Winter (AC Milan/ITA), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille/FRA), Nathan Ngoy (Lille/FRA), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli/ITA), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa/ENG), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers/SCO), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/ENG), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona/ESP)

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/ITA), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City/ENG), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille/FRA), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli/ITA), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica/POR), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg/FRA), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan/ITA), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal/ENG)

K.Yoshida--JT