Belgium has recently unveiled its 25-man squad for the forthcoming European Championships, scheduled to be held in Germany. Notable inclusions in the squad are Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne, Jeremy Doku from Stade Rennes, AS Roma’s Romelu Lukaku, and Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard. In addition, Jan Vertonghen, Belgium’s most-capped player at 36, has also secured a spot in the provisional squad.
The absence of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has garnered attention. Courtois has been sidelined due to an ACL injury sustained last summer. The decision not to include him in the squad comes amid a longstanding feud with manager Domenico Tedesco, dating back to 2018. The tension reached its peak in March when Tedesco confirmed that Courtois would not be part of the Euros squad despite efforts to reconcile.
Another surprise exclusion is Fenerbahce’s Michy Batshuayi, further altering Belgium’s offensive options for the upcoming tournament.
Belgium, under the leadership of Roberto Martinez’s successor, Tedesco, aims to usher in a new era and move past the missed opportunities of its golden generation to make a strong impact in the championship. This follows a disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar, where the team was eliminated in the group stage that featured Croatia, Morocco, and Canada. In the previous edition of the Euros, Belgium was knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual champions, Italy.
For Euro 2024, Belgium finds itself placed in a group alongside Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine, with hopes of progressing further in the tournament.
The full squad comprises goalkeepers Casteels, Kaminski, and Sels; defenders Castagne, De Cuyper, Faes, Meunier, Theate, Vertonghen, and Debast; midfielders De Bruyne, O.Mangala, Onana, Tielemans, Vermeeren, Witsel, and Vranckx; and forwards J.Bakayoko, Carrasco, De Ketelaere, Doku, Lukaku, Lukebakio, Openda, and Trossard.
This announcement sets the stage for Belgium’s campaign in the European Championships, bringing together a mix of seasoned talents and promising newcomers.
Credit: Chris Byfield – Featured Image
Topics: Belgium, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Roberto Martinez