Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s prominent striker, will be absent from the national team for the upcoming Nations League fixtures after being left out of Domenico Tedesco’s squad, announced on Friday. Lukaku, who recently completed his transfer to Napoli following a challenging stint at Chelsea, requested to be excused from international duty to focus on settling into his new club.
The 31-year-old forward finalized his move to Napoli for a reported fee of 30 million euros ($33.2 million) on Thursday, marking a fresh start in his career. Opting to prioritize his acclimatization to Italian football, Lukaku has chosen to sit out Belgium’s matches against Israel on September 6 and France on September 9.
In response to Lukaku’s decision, Belgium’s coach Domenico Tedesco has opted to revamp the squad, leaving out several seasoned players who were part of the team during the underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign. Along with Lukaku, notable absentees include Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, who has had a strained relationship with Tedesco, as well as veteran defenders Axel Witsel and Jan Vertonghen. Wingers Leandro Trossard and Yannick Carrasco are also missing from the roster.
Tedesco has instead turned to a younger generation of players, selecting 18-year-old striker Julien Duranville from Borussia Dortmund, 22-year-old defender Koni De Winter from Genoa, and 20-year-old midfielder Arne Engels, who is reportedly close to transferring from Augsburg to Celtic.
Due to the political unrest in Israel, Belgium’s opening match has been relocated to Debrecen, Hungary. This new-look squad will face a significant challenge as they begin their Nations League campaign under Tedesco’s leadership.
These squad changes reflect a strategic shift for Tedesco, who aims to build a more dynamic and youthful team while addressing the issues that have hindered Belgium in recent competitions. The absence of established stars like Lukaku and Courtois creates opportunities for emerging talents to make their mark on the international stage.
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Belgium Squad for Nations League Matches:
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al-Qadsiah/KSA), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town/ENG)
Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham/ENG), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni De Winter (Genoa/ITA), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Wout Faes (Leicester/ENG), Thomas Meunier (Lille/FRA), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/ENG), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/ITA), Arne Engels (Augsburg/GER), Orel Mangala (Lyon/FRA), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa/ENG), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan/ITA), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/ENG), Arthur Vermeeren (RB Leipzig/GER)
Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City/ENG), Julien Duranville (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla/ESP), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig/GER)
With this infusion of young talent, Tedesco is clearly looking to the future as he navigates Belgium through these challenging Nations League fixtures.
