Romelu Lukaku has consistently influenced Belgium’s performance when introduced from the bench during the 2026 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in securing their place in the Round of 16. However, his exclusion from the starting XI against the USMNT sparked widespread debate.
Lukaku’s absence from the starting lineup stems from a tactical decision by head coach Rudi Garcia, who has repeatedly favored Charles De Ketelaere’s adaptability in attack. This strategy mirrors Garcia’s approach throughout the tournament, prioritizing dynamic rotation over relying on the Napoli forward from the outset.
While recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of recent Belgium call-ups, Lukaku has embraced the super-substitute role. His impact includes a goal and assist in 11 minutes against New Zealand, influencing the 1-1 draw with Egypt, and sparking a late comeback against Senegal. Despite these contributions, Garcia has maintained his preference for deploying the striker as an impact player rather than a starter.
Lukaku Becomes Belgium’s All-Time World Cup Scoring Leader
Entering the tournament with fitness concerns and De Ketelaere entrenched as the starting striker, Lukaku has only started Belgium’s match against Iran. Nevertheless, his substitute performances have etched his name into history, with his two goals in this edition propelling him to seven career World Cup goals across four tournaments (2014–2026), surpassing Marc Wilmots’ previous record of five goals.
Romelu Lukaku #9 of Belgium shoots at goal against Senegal.
His decisive cameo appearances have defined Belgium’s campaign. Against Egypt, his introduction catalyzed an equalizer via an own goal, ensuring progression from Group G. A swift goal and assist within 11 minutes against New Zealand, followed by a critical 86th-minute strike to narrow the gap versus Senegal, underscored his value as a game-changing substitute.
