World Cup
Belgium face Iran without Doku as Lukaku fitness in focus
Belgium head into their second World Cup 2026 match against Iran without Jérémy Doku after the Manchester City winger was ruled out with a respiratory infection. Rudi Garcia confirmed the news on Saturday, leaving the Belgian camp to navigate a forward-line puzzle ahead of the 21:00 kick-off.
Rudi Garcia addressed the media hours before the clash, confirming that Doku would not feature due to illness. "Normally I don’t speak about injured players," Garcia said. "We have to do it without him. He could play against Egypt, but afterwards it went downhill. The medical staff made the decision. I’ve known since last night that he wouldn’t be available."
Romelu Lukaku’s availability remains under scrutiny after the striker played just 30 minutes against Egypt. "One thing is certain: he cannot play 90 minutes," Garcia said. "He played 30 minutes against Egypt, then in the training match the next day, but we have to be careful with him. The desire is there, but the goal is for him to last until the end of the tournament. He can still be a super-sub, but if really needed, he might start."
Charles De Ketelaere trained with a large bandage around his right knee but is deemed fit to play against Iran. Garcia said: "We have a medical staff that manages this, but at this moment De Ketelaere is available. We’ll see how he copes with the training. As it stands now, he can play, either as a starter or substitute."
Belgium’s attack will rely heavily on De Ketelaere and Johan Bakayoko, with Leander Dendoncker and Arthur Theate expected to provide support. Garcia hinted at a possible front-three setup with Dendoncker and Theate offering width. "Fernandez-Pardo on the left and De Ketelaere up top is an option," he said.
Iran, meanwhile, arrive in a confident mood after a strong opening performance against New Zealand. Garcia acknowledged their threat: "They’ve done a good campaign so far, even against New Zealand. They have good players and a good coach. They run a lot and are fast. We’ll have to be 100% to beat them."
The SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will host the match, a venue Garcia described as more suitable than Seattle’s slower surface. "The grass in Seattle was too high and too dry. The ball stuck. This pitch is more cooled and the grass is much shorter. It’s better for dynamic play," said Thomas Meunier.
Belgium must win to keep their group hopes alive, with Garcia stressing the need for a positive result. "A result other than a win would condemn us to a place outside the top two, making it much harder for everyone," he said. Zeno Debast remains absent from training, adding to the defensive concerns.
Iran’s preparation was overshadowed by controversy after Algeria filed a complaint with FIFA over Lionel Messi’s non-red card in their 3-0 win. Messi completed a hat-trick despite a heavy foul on an Algerian player. Hannes Van der Bruggen, a footballer, argued: "Messi gets away with it easily, but I don’t think it’s a red card. It should be yellow. They’re running in the same movement and the intensity isn’t that high."
Elsewhere, Brazil secured a 3-0 victory over Haiti, with Neymar expected to return for their final group game against Scotland. Carlo Ancelotti said: "Tomorrow Neymar trains individually. On Sunday he joins the group, then he’ll be in the squad for the Scotland match."
The match kicks off at 21:00 local time in Los Angeles, with Belgium under pressure to deliver a statement performance without one of their key attacking threats.