Belgium Crush New Zealand 5-1 to Top Group
Belgium secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 with a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver on June 26. The win lifted them to the top of their group on goal difference, ahead of Egypt, both with five points.
Veterans Lead the Charge
Coach Rudi Garcia made five changes from the goalless draw against Iran, including starting Jeremy Doku after the birth of his first son. But it was the experienced players who delivered. Leandro Trossard scored a brace, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers each added a goal.
Garcia praised his senior players, saying, "This is what the oldies did tonight, quote unquote. Now, we have not won anything yet but we moved on to the next phase, but thank goodness we had a difference of four goals and that gave us the opportunity to be first of the group."
Growing Into the Tournament
Despite the dominant win, Garcia acknowledged the team is still improving. "We cannot say that we are fully into it but we are growing into it. We are gaining momentum. We will see against whom we will be playing in the round of 32, but we will relish this first victory," he added.
Belgium had drawn 0-0 with Iran and 1-1 with Egypt before this match, putting pressure on the squad. The five-goal margin ensured they topped the group, setting up a potentially favorable knockout opponent.
External Noise Not a Motivation
When asked if criticism of the team's veterans motivated the performance, Garcia dismissed the idea. "No, I did not read it, but this is what I have heard from France, from Belgium and this is not a source of motivation honestly. I trust my players and that is why my team is the way it is right now. I fully trust my leaders and there's only one thing that we can do. It is actually happening on the pitch and so the answer happened on the pitch and I have nothing else to say," he concluded.
