FIFA World Cup 2026: Doku, Lukaku not ready for 90 minutes of action, says Belgium coach

Belgium winger Jeremy Doku and star striker Romelu Lukaku are not ready for full 90 minutes of action, said head coach Rudi Garcia ahead of their all-important final league stage FIFA World Cup match against Belgium scheduled for Thursday.

Having played out frustrating draws against Egpyt (1-1) and Iran (0-0), Belgium, the 2018 bronze medal holders, will be aiming to secure their round of 32 spot by stamping their authority against New Zealand with plenty of goals.

Doku returned to the team on Tuesday, after the birth of his son, which caused him to leave the national team camp for a while. He featured in the 1-1 draw against Egypt but gave the Iran clash a miss due to breathing issues faced while training.

Garcia said to reporters, as quoted by Reuters, "Jeremy came back three days ago. So, he only participated in the practice today. He did a little more, but he did not train for seven days, and that is not insignificant."

"So, we're thrilled to have him back. He is probably not going to play for 90 minutes. But we know that he can make a difference once on the pitch."

"But all our game is not based upon one player. It is the collective spirit. That is the true force of Belgium," added the coach.

Lukaku, still searching for his first goal in the tournament, will also be unable to play full 90 minutes of the match, with the coach saying that while he is fit, he "cannot handle 90 minutes"

"Lukaku cannot handle 90 minutes," Garcia added. "If he starts, he will be substituted. If he does not start, he can help us from the bench. But he is fit."

Belgium defender Brandon Mechele said that they will need to match the intensity of New Zealand, who are at the bottom of the table with one point.

"We need to match their intensity. If we manage that, I don't see a problem for us," defender Mechele said. (ANI)