World Cup
Belgium's poor conversion: 1 goal from 3.51 xG at WC2026
Belgium’s national team, the Rode Duivels, have struggled to finish chances at the 2026 World Cup, scoring only one goal from an expected 3.51 xG, placing them third worst in efficiency Philosophy’s statistics shared on X.
The xG Philosophy’s data places Belgium third in the tournament’s efficiency table, behind only Ecuador and Turkey. Ecuador recorded zero goals from 4.20 expected goals, while Turkey also failed to score despite 3.84 xG.
Against Egypt, Belgium generated fifteen chances but only three shots required a frame. The match ended without a Belgian goal, highlighting the conversion problem.
A few days later versus Iran, Belgium mustered twenty‑three attempts, seven of which were on target. Again the side failed to find the net, extending the goal drought.
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Earlier victories over Croatia (2‑1) and Tunisia (5‑0) demonstrated the squad’s attacking potential when efficiency aligned. Those results suggested the team could produce goals when clinical. Striker Romelu Lukaku, currently on Napoli’s roster, has seen limited minutes this season, leaving him without match rhythm. His reduced involvement is felt by Belgium as they lack a top‑level forward. Head coach Rudi Garcia oversees a side that must defeat New Zealand to secure a place in the round of sixteen. A live broadcast of the Belgium‑New Zealand game is scheduled for 05:00 on 27 June on Voetbalkrant.com. A win would also keep Belgium in contention for the group‑winner spot, provided Iran beats Egypt by a narrow margin. Securing top place would avoid a stronger opponent in the knockout phase.