Romelu Lukaku has been named in Belgium's World Cup squad despite playing just 60 minutes of competitive football all season—a bold move that has set the football world talking.

The Napoli striker, who turned 33 on Wednesday, has managed only seven substitute appearances in the 2025-26 campaign and has spent the past two months in his home country recovering from a hamstring injury. Yet Belgium's all-time leading scorer—with 89 goals from 124 caps—has earned head coach Rudi Garcia's trust for what would be his fourth consecutive World Cup appearance.

Garcia's 26-man squad also features veterans Thibaut Courtois, Kevin de Bruyne, and Axel Witsel, giving the Red Devils a mix of experience and emerging talent. One of the most intriguing additions is Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo, a 21-year-old forward born in Brussels to Italian and Spanish parents. He previously played for Belgium at youth level, switched allegiance to Spain in 2025 without making an appearance, and now returns to the Belgian fold—chosen over Juventus forward Lois Openda, who has struggled for regular minutes this season.

Defender Zeno Debast also made the cut despite a training injury, while Sporting's young star adds depth to a backline featuring Fulham's Timothy Castagne and Brighton's Maxim de Cuyper.

Belgium will face Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G, with matches scheduled across the United States and Canada. For Lukaku, this call-up represents more than just a squad selection—it's a chance to prove that even limited game time can't dim the fire of a proven goal-scorer on the world's biggest stage.