Belgium Names Romelu Lukaku for World Cup Despite Injury Issues

Belgium Names Squad for World Cup Amid Controversy Over Lukaku’s Fitness

Belgium has announced its 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, with striker Romelu Lukaku included despite playing only an hour of competitive football this season. Lukaku, who turned 33 on Wednesday, has been rehabilitating in Belgium after a hamstring injury and has made just seven substitute appearances for Napoli this season.

Coach Rudi Garcia has chosen to include Lukaku in the squad, citing his experience as the country’s leading scorer. However, Garcia has also selected promising young attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who committed his international future to Belgium earlier this week. The 21-year-old has had a strong season at Lille and was chosen in place of Lois Openda.

Garcia has also included several other players who have been injured or struggling with form, including Sporting defender Zeno Debast, who is recovering from an injury sustained while training for the Portuguese club. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will be a key player for the squad, having returned from injury in time.

The team’s selection has sparked some controversy, with speculation about Garcia’s decision to include four goalkeepers in his 26-man squad proving incorrect. The full squad list was announced on Belgian television during the lunchtime news bulletin.

Source: Al Jazeera