De Bruyne says Lukaku vital as Belgium draw with Egypt

Kevin De Bruyne said Romelu Lukaku was vital as Belgium earned a 1-1 draw with Egypt in their World Cup 2026 opener; coach Rudi Garcia added that the Napoli striker is still not ready to start a game. Lukaku entered the match from the bench at the 65th minute and, 28 seconds later, was involved in Mohamed Hany’s own goal that equalised for Belgium. De Bruyne noted that Belgium were not at their best in the first half but found ways to hurt Egypt after the break, emphasizing Lukaku’s presence as dangerous to opponents and warning that no game is easy at this tournament.

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Garcia explained that Lukaku had only 64 minutes of club action with Napoli due to injuries, making his preparation far from ideal, but praised his importance to the squad despite the need for his body to adapt.

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A photo by Alex Grimm shows De Bruyne challenged by Hamdy Fathy during the Group G match at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington on June 15, 2026.