Football

Belgium's national football team coach, Domenico Tedesco, has announced his squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Italy and France. Notably, Manchester City's star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will miss the matches due to injury.De Bruyne, 33, had previously hinted at potentially retiring from international football. However, he has since assured Tedesco that he intends to continue playing for Belgium for the next two years, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup."I had a long conversation with Kevin," Tedesco said. "He's injured now, but he's highly motivated to continue with us and play in the World Cup. He asked to be excused from this camp and the November camp to focus on his physical recovery."Another notable absence from the squad is Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku. Tedesco has decided to rest Lukaku, who recently joined the Italian club, to allow him to "work individually" and settle into his new surroundings.Belgium will face Italy in Rome on October 10th and then host France in Brussels on October 14th. The squad includes a mix of experienced players and rising stars, with several players representing top clubs across Europe.Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Maarten Vandevoordt (RB Leipzig)Defenders: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Portugal), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Bruges), Wout Faes (Leicester), Matte Smets (Genk), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt), Koni De Winter (Genoa)Midfielders: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Orel Mangala (Lyon), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arne Engels (Celtic), Malick Fofana (Lyon)Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig), Cyril Ngonge (Napoli), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)

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 Eden Hazard has retired, and coach Roberto Martinez has been replaced by Domenico Tedesco.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.