Opinions, analysis and commentary
Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt on Matchday 1 when they were expected to win. The own goal that rescued the point came from a Lukaku run 66 minutes in, not from Belgium creating something. That distinction matters. A squad built around players aged 33 and 34 at their final realistic World Cup cannot rely on fortune. Group G is now a genuine four-way fight, every team on one point, and Belgium facing Iran next. Another dropped result, and the exit conversation becomes unavoidable.
Belgium fell behind to Emam Ashour’s 19th-minute strike from distance and never truly took the match back. Kevin De Bruyne had a free kick crack the post and an early shot drift wide. Egypt’s Mostafa Zico and Mohamed Salah were both denied by Thibaut Courtois at the other end.
The own goal from Mohamed Hany, forced by Lukaku’s run seconds after he came on as a substitute, was the only thing that separated Belgium from three points dropped. They had gone 325 minutes without scoring a World Cup goal in open play since Michy Batshuayi’s strike in 2022. That drought continued here.
Group G is level across all four teams after Matchday 1, with Iran and New Zealand ahead of Belgium and Egypt on goals scored following their 2-2 draw. Belgium faces Iran in Los Angeles on June 21 in a match that now carries the weight of a must-win.
A draw or worse against Iran, or a stumble in the Egypt fixture, puts Belgium back in the same position they were in at Qatar 2022: needing results elsewhere or relying on the third-place qualification path. That’s the Belgium World Cup 2026 group stage exit scenario playing out again, and nothing from the Egypt match suggests it can be avoided if Belgium continues to play the way they did in Seattle.
Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand showed exactly the kind of transition speed that should concern Belgium’s back line. Twice behind Elijah Just’s brace, Iran hit back through Ramin Rezaeian, who scored an equaliser before setting up Mohammad Mohebbi’s headed leveler from a right-wing cross.
Rezaeian became the first player at this World Cup to record a goal and an assist in the same match for his country. Iran had 17 shots to New Zealand’s 14. Against a Belgium defence still settling into shape, Rezaeian’s overlapping right-back runs represent exactly the kind of threat Belgium failed to handle from Egypt.
Belgium’s spine was built around players whose best years are behind them. De Bruyne is 34. Courtois is 34. Lukaku is 33. Youri Tielemans, cast as a bridge to the next generation, is already 29.
By 2030, De Bruyne would be 38, Courtois 38, Lukaku 37. Manager Rudi Garcia has blended in younger faces like Jeremy Doku and Amadou Onana, but the matches that decide Belgium’s tournament still run through players in the back half of their careers. This is the last window for this group. If they don’t make it count in 2026, the golden generation exits without the trophy their ranking suggested was possible.
Belgium’s golden generation reached the semifinals in 2018, their best-ever finish, then crashed out in the 2022 group stage despite similar individual quality on paper. That exit came via a goalless draw with Croatia after stretches of the same lack of control Belgium showed against Egypt.
| World Cup | Result | Exit Reason |
| 2014 Brazil | Lost in QF | Eliminated by Argentina (0-1) |
| 2018 Russia | 3rd place | Lost to France in the semifinal (0-1) |
| 2022 Qatar | Group stage exit | 0-0 draw with Croatia confirmed exit |
| 2026 (MD1) | Drew 1-1 with Egypt | Outcome pending — face Iran June 21 |
The pattern is consistent. Belgium produces individually, struggles collectively under pressure, and the tournament ends before it should. Whether Doku and Onana change that in 2026 is still an open question, but the Egypt draw didn’t provide any evidence that it will.
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Did Belgium’s golden generation ever win a major tournament?
No, despite topping FIFA’s world rankings for extended spells in the 2010s, Belgium’s golden generation never won a World Cup or European Championship. Third place in 2018 remains the high point.
Why did Belgium draw with Egypt at the 2026 World Cup?
Egypt led from the 19th minute through Emam Ashour’s strike before a Mohamed Hany own goal levelled it in the 66th. Lukaku’s run immediately after coming on as a substitute forced the error.
How old is Romelu Lukaku at the 2026 World Cup?
Lukaku is 33, born in May 1993, and remains Belgium’s all-time leading scorer. He came off the bench against Egypt and directly contributed to the equalising own goal.
What does Belgium need to qualify from Group G?
With all four teams level on one point after Matchday 1, Belgium likely needs wins or strong results against Iran and Egypt to finish in the automatic top two. The third-place qualification route remains open as a fallback.
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