Football

Belgium's golden generation may be fading, but the Red Devils remain a formidable force in international football. Led by Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Belgium will be looking to make a deep run in this summer's European Championship.After a disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar, Belgium has undergone a significant overhaul. Eden Hazard has retired, and coach Roberto Martinez has been replaced by Domenico Tedesco. Tedesco has brought in a number of fresh faces, while also relying on a core of experienced players.Belgium cruised through Group F qualifying, with Lukaku scoring a record-breaking 14 goals. Under Tedesco, Belgium is unbeaten in 13 matches, but few of those fixtures have come against Europe's top teams.The Red Devils will be without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is still recovering from a knee injury. Matz Sels is likely to deputise for Courtois, while Wout Faes and Jan Vertonghen are expected to form a solid partnership in central defence.Axel Witsel has been coaxed out of international retirement, but Toby Alderweireld is gone from the team. Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, and Orel Mangala are among the midfield options for Belgium.De Bruyne will be the key man for Belgium in attack. The Manchester City playmaker is one of the best players in the world, and he will be looking to lead Belgium to their first major trophy. With Hazard and Dries Mertens no longer involved, the likes of Lois Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, and Jeremy Doku must shoulder more of the responsibility in attack.Belgium is a team with a lot of potential, but they will need to prove themselves against Europe's best teams. The European Championship will be a good test for Tedesco's new-look side.

Manchester City's midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne has been omitted from the Belgium squad for upcoming friendlies against Ireland and England due to a persistent groin issue. Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco confirmed the news on Thursday, citing concerns over De Bruyne's fitness ahead of the European Championship this summer.De Bruyne has endured a challenging season, having undergone hamstring surgery in August after sustaining an injury on the opening day of the Premier League. The Belgian international was sidelined for nearly five months, and since his return in January, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has carefully managed his workload.Guardiola opted to rest De Bruyne for the match against Brentford on February 20 due to lingering hamstring discomfort. While De Bruyne made a substitute appearance in the subsequent victory over Bournemouth, he has since started three of City's last four games. However, his substitution in the 69th minute of the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday raised concerns about his fitness.Tedesco explained that De Bruyne's groin injury has been a concern in recent matches. After consulting with the team doctor and De Bruyne himself, the decision was made to prioritize his recovery and rehabilitation with Manchester City."If the risk of an injury is too high, it's our responsibility to say it's better to protect him," Tedesco said. "And then to have him ready for the Euros. We can't take risks at this moment with any player, especially not with Kevin."Belgium's preparations for Euro 2024 will continue with friendlies against Ireland on March 23 and England at Wembley Stadium three days later. However, De Bruyne's absence will be a significant blow to the Red Devils, who will be looking to build momentum ahead of the tournament.