After an underwhelming last few years for Belgium following the era of their golden generation that helped them to a third place finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Red Devils, under the stewardship of Rudi Garcia landed in America with a fresh-faced squad hungry to bring their football back to the very top.
Drawn into Group G alongside Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand, the side, which still boasts experienced heads in Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel and Kevin De Bruyne features an exciting core of some talented young players.
Eight of the 26-man squad are under 25, and are tipped to be the future of the national set up for at least another two world cups. As part of our ongoing exciting young players to watch at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup series, these five prospects represent the highly modern, fluid future of Belgian football.
5. Mike Penders (Strasbourg, on loan from Chelsea)
Age: 20
Position: Goalkeeper
Style: Mike Penders is an absolute titan between the sticks. Standing at 6'7", Penders commands his penalty area with staggering aerial dominance, pairing his massive frame with explosive reflexes and highly composed left-footed distribution under pressure when building out from the back.
The World Cup Role: Having spent a brilliant breakout season on loan in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, Penders, alongside Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens, serves as Thibaut Courtois' high-ceiling understudy.
He gives Rudi Garcia an elite, aerially dominant alternative if the team needs to combat direct, physical tournament attacks late in the knockout phases.
Although he might not even play a minute at the tournament, Penders might be called upon to show his worth in the event Belgium feature in a dead-rubber group stage game (should they top their group with a game to spare), or in the event of an unfortunate injury to the main man.
4. Zeno Debast (Sporting CP)
Age: 22
Position: Center-Back
Style: Zeno Debast is one of the blueprints for what a modern ball-playing defender looks like. Debast excels at front-foot defending, reading the game expertly to extinguish transitions early.
His standout trait is an elite, expansive passing range that allows him to break midfield lines effortlessly from deep positions. According to DataMB, he sits in the 99th percentile for progressive passes, and in the 89th for progressive carries.
The World Cup Role: Debast will provide structural security both on and off the ball to Garcia's defensive line.
With the manager explicitly preferring a mobile back-four, Debast's exceptional speed and comfort under high pressure will allow the team to squeeze opponents into their own halves without fearing long-ball counters.
3. Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge)
Age: 21
Position: Full-Back / Wing-Back
Style: A highly energetic fullback, Joaquin Seys perfectly balances robust defensive recovery mechanics with an intelligent understanding of when to overlap and stretch opposing defensive blocks out wide.
The World Cup Role: The 2026 World Cup will be defined by the need for teams to maximize their depth given the unbearable weather conditions and extra knockout round.
Seys will offer Garcia’s charges crucial full-back depth on the grand stage. Given he is also blessed with immense stamina, he could police the entire right wing single-handedly whenever called upon to offer them security in defence and width in attack.
2. Diego Moreira (Strasbourg)
Age: 21
Position: Winger / Midfielder
Style: Diego Morreira is an attacker who possesses blazing acceleration and rapid close-quarters trickery, making him a nightmare for full-backs in isolated 1v1 situations.
Having moved through the Benfica pipeline to break out in France, his creative gravity enables him to spray progressive passes into central attackers, which underpins his dynamism.
The World Cup Role: Moreira is a player capable of impacting games either when starting or coming off the bench given his directness and willingness to create both from a standing start, and even in transitional situations.
Whether deployed to break a rigid mid-block from the start or thrown on late to exploit exhausted backlines, he will give the Red Devils a transitional edge.
1. Matias Fernandez-Pardo (LOSC Lille)
Age: 21
Position: Forward
Style: Fernandez-Pardo is a dynamic hybrid attacker who has completely taken French football by storm. According to DataMB, he sits in the 91st percentile for offensive duels won, 89th for expected assists, showing his willingness to facilitate others, as well as 94th for touches in the box, showing his ability to be a presence in the box.
Also boasting neat technical footwork, Fernandez-Pardo also excels at cutting inside from the left channel onto his stronger right foot to unleash devastating, opportunistic finishes.
The World Cup Role: After officially committing his international future to Belgium, Fernandez-Pardo arrives as a massive, unpredictable wildcard.
With lingering injury doubts surrounding veteran options like Jeremy Doku and Lukaku, his presence will be vital. He might lead the line or operate as a secondary striker which will give Garcia an invaluable offensive variation.
Editorial Parting Shot
With the side’s pressure to win reduced heading into the tournament, Belgium will rely heavily on the unburdened fearlessness of their youth.
While seasoned veteran figures anchor the dressing room core, the explosive ceiling of these young players will give Garcia the structural depth required to make a deep tournament run.
